For Better or Worse
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: As Steve and Jade his fiance, plan their wedding a foe from the past arrises to threaten their new future together. Will they be able to stop them in time to have their special day? Who will pay the ultimate price?
1. The Wedding Crasher

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 1 – The Wedding Crasher  
****Rated: **T  
**Series:** Diagnosis Murder  
**Author:** Andorian Ice Princess

**Summary:** As Jade and Steve plan their wedding, a foe from the past surfaces to threaten their future. But who is the _real_ target? And will the wedding take place as planned? Amada learns something startling about Shane.

**Disclaimer:** This is a piece of fan fiction. It is written for pleasure and not for profit. The characters Steve and Mark Sloan, Jesse Travis and Amanda and CJ Bentley are borrowed for the purposes of this story. All other characters are my own. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is pure coincidence.

**A/N 1:** Follows after my 3 other Jade/Steve stories (last one: By Any other Name). They were engaged at the end. **PS: **any reference to Dean Richardson, Jade's murdered fiancé is from story 1 - Nothing's as it seems.

**A/N 2:** Yes I'm back after a bit of a lull. A friend who's in the hospital asked me to write her a DM story so here it is. Dedicated to BA. Enjoy!

"M…must warn them…" the man muttered as he slowly staggered towards the hospital Dr. Mark Sloan was attending that day. "He…he's here…must…warn…"

"Sloan….Marshall…must…warn…them…"

**XXXXXXXX**

"Do you think we'll ever have a quiet day off?" Shane Phillips sighed as he finally pulled himself off the goon he was wrestling and let the local cops take over. He brushed some street debris from his dark curly hair and frowned.

"Sorry guys," Steve offered sheepishly as he slowly walked over to Jade and smiled broadly at her. "Did I put a kink in any wedding plans?"

"Oh don't worry I'll make you pay for that tonight," Jade winked, as Shane rolled his eyes and offered a sigh.

"Yeah you own me one too Steve. Actually I don't mind the distraction. Beats shopping for china!"

"You were trying to find a gift for Amanda remember?"

"Oh right," Shane frowned. "Later," he called out as he headed back to Jade's truck to wait.

"How are things going?" Steve asked noticing the look on Jade's face turn from a smile to a frown.

"I hate this. Shopping for china, registering…I…Steve it's so…domestic," Jade lightly grumbled. "Do you care what color the china is? I mean I am only doing it to please my mom and…" Jade started to rattle off again, only to be quickly silence by a soft kiss that lasted regrettably only a few seconds. "Thanks," she sighed.

"I'd rather you register for some hot lingerie," Steve smiled. "I don't care what kind of dishes you pick because you won't be cooking with them anyways."

"I'm trying, remember!" Jade protested as Steve was called by his team. "I'll see you tonight. Have fun for both of us."

"You call this fun?"

"You want to trade places with me?" Jade offered eagerly.

"Uh me and Shane shopping for china? Not a good impression," Steve lightly laughed as he turned to leave.

Jade watched Steve head back to the police cruiser and then disappear from her view. He was so different from Dean. Steve was more open to trying new things; always keeping her on her toes, not knowing what to expect. She loved that about Steve, how he filled the gaps in her life almost seamlessly. And now she was to be wed again. With another happy sigh she got into the truck and soon her and Shane were back in the department store, they both longed to be free of. Today, she had a feeling would be boring.

She'd be wrong.

**XXXXXXX**

"Can I leave now Doc?" The male patient uttered in an annoyed gruff tone.

"If you hold still a second longer you'll be a free man," Dr. Mark Sloan smiled kindly. As soon as he was finished he let his nurse tidy up the wound and see the patient off. Mark prided himself on being a good judge of character and he knew something wasn't right with this guy. "Is everything okay? You seem very nervous for just having a minor surface wound?"

"D-don't like hospitals," he spat angrily. "Doctor's e…either," the man finished with a slight slur.

"Oh we aren't all bad," Mark smiled.

"Dr. Sloan we are taking…"

"_Dr. Sloan_?" The man asked weakly. "You're…_Sloan_…"

"I'll be with you…"

The man's demeanor instantly changed and his nervous eyes started to dart around the area Mark was standing in and finally let his gaze narrow on the picture on his desk. "D-do you know them?" He asked fatefully; knowing the two he had to warn.

"Steve is my son and Jade Marshall is his fiancé," Mark uttered proudly. "_Do you_ know them?" Mark then asked in suspicion.

The man pushed his way off the table and glared at Mark angrily just as Amanda entered the doorway. _"Warn them,"_ he hissed as he grabbed the picture, smashed it on the door frame and raced out of the room. "Warn them _he's_ here…" the man shouted before he was out of the room. "_He's_…coming…"

"What was that all about?" Amanda asked in wonder.

"Not sure," Mark frowned as he turned to follow the angry patient. "Jesse, stop that man!" Mark called to his other trusted physician.

Jesse noticed the gruff looking man storming his way and gestured to security for help. The man noticed Jesse's actions; charged him; barreled him over and then headed into the street. He hopped into a waiting cab and was gone.

"What was that all about?" Jesse echoed Amanda's earlier stated words.

"I don't know," Mark frowned as he reached for his phone. "But I better call Steve. If there is this kind of nut targeting them, they better be warned…just like…" he paused as he remembered the man's words. "But _that man_ said to warn them…"

"What's going on?" Jesse wondered out loud.

"I am going to find out," Mark declared dialing Steve.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Okay so if you buy a lot of dishes then when you fight you'll have more to throw," Shane smiled.

"Funny," Jade remarked dryly. "How are things going with you and Amanda?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Good," Shane casually smiled. They slowly headed out of the china section and stood waiting for the elevators. "I guess I never thought of myself as…" he continued but was interrupted with the sound of a silenced sniper shot whizzing past him and embedding itself into the thick door of the elevator. Their training told them to drop to the floor immediately; assume a defensive position and draw their weapons.

"What the hell!" Jade shouted as she drew her gun. "Can't we ever have a quiet day off?"

"Good question," Shane grumbled as he opened his phone. Just as he was about to dial for help he heard Steve's anxious voice on the other end. "Thanks for the warning," he replied in sarcasm, "but we are under fire!"

He heard Steve lightly curse before he hung up. "That was Steve. He said you are in danger and he's calling for backup."

Jade lightly rolled her eyes and crawled behind a large information post. She heard two more shots whiz past her before all was quiet. In a matter of seconds both her and Shane were on their feet and running in the direction they thought the sniper was. They reached the end of the long, cluttered hallway only to find it empty.

"Damn it!" Shane cursed. "Anyone not want to see you get married?" Shane yelled as he ran down the stairs and outside the building. He quickly scanned the area and found nothing amiss. This guy; whoever he was; had everything planned; even the getaway, he was good. Shane headed back inside with a grumble.

Jade continued to scan the area as she called her father in Washington DC; while Shane arranged with store security to get a copy of their surveillance tapes.

"Uh hello?" Asked the nervous floor manager, rushing towards them. "Y-yes who are you people?"

"Your turn," Jade uttered as she dialed Steve's cell; directing her partner to answer the anxious store manager.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Well they are both okay," Mark informed Jesse and Amanda. "For now."

"Who would want to kill both Steve _and_ Jade?" Jesse pondered.

"Well the forensic team just sent Steve's office the partial print they collected from the man that gave the warning so hopefully they'll find something. And hopefully the DNA from the bloody cloth will turn up something."

"And don't forget his picture from the entrance security camera," Jesse chimed in.

"What was his name?" Amanda asked Mark.

"John Doe. Had no money and no ID. Said he was living on the street. That's what the triage nurse registered him as."

"Great," Jesse sighed. "Will they _ever_ have a normal day?"

"With those two, this _is_ normal," Mark sighed heavily.

**XXXXXXXX**

"I got the shell casings," Shane stated as he walked over to a place that Jade was still examining. "What did you find?"

"Nothing. And if you look around there are no security cameras in this area," she spat angrily. "Who the hell was that guy? What else did Mark say?"

"Dad said a man was in his office and ran out saying "_Warn them he's here_…" Steve said walking up to them. He gave Jade a quick kiss before quickly eyeing her to make sure she was okay. "But dad said he did start to act strange as soon as he heard the name Sloan…"

"He?" Shane repeated. "He who? Who's here?"

"No idea," Jade said looking at Steve. "Piss anyone off lately enough to want to kill your future?"

"Maybe it was you," Steve shot back with a light smile. "I'm sure you have a lot more enemies then I do."

"True. But it was your name that started this all," Jade said slowly as she eyed something in the corner and hurried over to it.

"Franklin down at the office is running the messenger's prints now. And…what is it?" Steve asked, stopping his explanation to Jade and Shane.

Jade looked at the blue object in her hand in horror. "It's…oh god it can't be…" she uttered looking up at Steve.

"What is it?"

"Remember the first place you took me to eat on the boardwalk so many moons ago?"

"You mean when you were…"

"Chasing Carmen…" Jade's voice trailed off in anguish. "It's from there. The Blue Lagoon."

"Jade just because…I mean anyone could have dropped it. A lot of people…"

"Th-there are initials on the back…" Jade mentioned in a low whisper as if the very wind has been sucked out of her at that very instant.

"What are they?" Steve dared to ask.

"DR…oh…my…god…"

"Dr?...Dr who?" Steve continued.

Jade looked at Shane and both shook their heads – no. "Not possible Jade, Dean's dead."

"Shane…" Jade said handing him the small pin inside an evidence envelope.

"Who is DR?" Steve asked, forgetting a key figure from Jade's past.

"Dean Richardson. My murdered fiancé."

"That's ridiculous. Dean is dead," Shane mentioned firmly; breaking Jade from her morbid stupor.

"It's his ghost?" She wondered deftly.

"Now you are being silly," Shane said lightly shaking her arm. "DR is a coincidence…and…"

"_Warn them he's here_…" Jade repeated as she looked at Steve with a frown and then Shane. "I have to go."

And before either man could say a word, Jade was hurrying towards the stairs and down.

"If you want to marry her I'd follow," Shane huffed. "I've seen that look before and it's not good…not good at all."

"Jade wait!" Steve called out as he rushed after her. Shane turned to one of the nearby police officers and handed them the small envelope with the pin inside it. "There is one partial from an FBI agent. I need to know who else has touched this pin. Go now!"

Shane watched the commotion around him and then started to think back on the events that led up to the murder of Dean Richardson. "Could we have made such a mistake?...Could we have been wrong all this time?"

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade heard Steve calling her name but didn't stop until she was outside the building and breathing fresh air.

"Wait…" Steve called one last time; forcing her to stop just before she got into the waiting police issue car.

Jade stood with her back to Steve, fixing her gaze at something non-descript in the distance; both unaware of a pair of eyes watching the scene unfold with great interest.

"Jade it could be anything," Steve tried to reason as he stepped a few inches closer.

"I have been going over that again and again in my head. I don't believe in coincidences Steve and neither do you. That's what's so great about us. We make our future and our destiny happen," Jade stammered nervously. "H...how could I have been so wrong?" She uttered in tormented words.

"Jade it's not…" Steve tried, taking another step closer; causing her to back up another step.

"It's Dean…" she lightly choked.

"What? Jade it could have been anything," Steve said; gently turning her to face him. "You are level headed; most of the time. Think this through," Steve tried to reason. The sight of her teary eyes broke his heart instantly. "Dean's gone, remember? You are much more reasonable than this. Just work it through. Don't jump to a rash conclusion – again."

"I don't jump…okay I do sometimes," she said angrily pushing her dark hair behind her ears. "Steve you don't understand…today is…"

"Today is what?" Steve dared to ask.

"It's been…it's the anniversary of…"

"Jade someone is just messing with your head," Steve tried to reason. "Someone obviously has a hit on you and Shane and it had to be today. It could have been any day. Today isn't spec…"

Jade rolled her eyes but felt her anxiety starting to rise. "It's a sign…don't you see…"

"You were almost killed in there and…" Steve tried again in vain.

"He's here…" Jade whispered in sorrow; not really understanding the words her brain was forcing her to utter.

"Who's here?"

"Dean…he's here…we…we can't get married," said forcing the engagement ring off her finger and pushing it into Steve's hand. "I'm sorry…but…"

Steve, unable to say the next words he wanted to, watched numbly as Jade Marshall, his future wife and the reason for his existence, turn and got into the car and sped away from him. He stared down at the ring and then looked back up to see her car turn the corner and disappear from his view.

"Jade…" Steve uttered in sorrow, not realizing both of them had just played into hands of a madman.

A madman from the past…

A madman bent on revenge…

_"Perfect…" a voice laughed as it faded into the late afternoon shadows._

_Waiting…waiting for another moment to strike…_

_And strike he would…and soon…_

Dear readers. Hope this was an interesting start. Lots more to come. Please review if you like. Thanks!


	2. Clues?

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 2 – Clues?**

"Damn it!" Steve cursed as he rushed to his car and sped after Jade. "I won't lose you Jade. Not to a memory."

Jade just drove aimlessly until she reached a deserted part of the beach and pulled off to the side of the road. She got out of her car and rushed towards the empty part of the beach. Stopping just short of the water and dropping to her knees in sorrow.

Steve pulled his car in behind hers and watched her slump to her knees in defeat. He couldn't stand the sight of her in such pain. He watched her body sag almost to the ground and finally got out of his car and slowly walked towards her.

Jade kept her gaze fixed on the open water, tears silently falling down her warm cheeks. "Dean's gone…" she kept whispering over and over again; as if she needed to keep telling her brain her past was over and she was free to start again. She knew she had never quite given herself time to mourn Dean while chasing Carmen and then things happened so fast with Steve she always wondered if she'd given herself enough time for closure with Dean.

"Do you really want _me_ to be gone from your life for good?" Steve's tormented voice cracked as he asked the wretched question.

Jade didn't hesitate when she uttered…"no"…in a small tormented voice. She almost smiled when she heard Steve's sigh of relief but knew it could be short lived. "But…" she tried but failed, her voice too heavy with sobs to continue. "What if he's alive?" She managed in a dead whisper.

"My name was mentioned by dad remember? So there is no way this only involves you and I won't let it," Steve said firmly. "Dean never knew me."

"But…" Jade tried again in protest.

Steve knelt down beside Jade and pulled her back into his strong embrace. Jade Marshall was the strongest, bravest woman he had ever met. There was little in the world that scared her; but the look on her face in the shopping mall was one of pure terror. It was a look that frightened even him.

"Jade, honey I love you," Steve whispered in his ear. Part of him said it was silly for him to worry about Jade and her past with Dean Richardson. But another part said that if there was a possibility he was alive he could lose her to him.

"Steve, I love you too but…" Jade started, her eyes still fixed on the open water before her; the setting sun starting to cool her warm exterior. "But what if…"

"If he were alive, then don't you think he'd show up with flowers instead of a 9millimeter?" Steve tried to reason. Once again, trying to reassure himself that she wouldn't be attracted to anyone that tried to kill her. "Besides we don't know if the guy at the hospital and the shooting are connected…What is the real issue here?"

"I guess…Steve I don't know if I gave myself enough time to mourn Dean. I mean things happened so fast with Carmen and then you and…I guess all these wedding preparations have brought back a lot of painful memories from the past."

"Why didn't you tell me that before?" Steve asked warmly.

"I didn't want to bother you," Jade huffed. "I know that is the wrong thing to say but I just…well I guess I didn't want to talk about another guy I was engaged to you. Dean is my past and…the past has to remain the past," her voice trailed off to a dead whisper.

"How long was Dean dead before you came here and met me?" Steve asked softly, not wanting to provoke a fight, but rather to reason with her.

"Just over a year," Jade sighed heavily. "Steve I don't regret our meeting and I'll never regret falling in love with you…but…"

"But you think you didn't give yourself enough time to mourn Dean. But you did. Jade you are the most caring person I know. Dean will always have a small part of your memory. But I hope that I still have your heart and your love. That I won't give up easily. But you have to trust in love. Don't run away. Not this time. Dean is gone. It's time to live your life now. For us…"

Jade listened to Steve's words and let them finally sink into her brain. "Yes…of course…" she finally managed. Telling herself that Dean wouldn't want to harm her in any way and that if he were indeed alive then he'd show up in person. "But why…"

"It could just be a coincidence. We don't even know if the shooter dropped it," Steve replied, pulling her closer as he felt her start to slightly shiver. "I think your adrenaline is starting to wear off."

Jade let out a heavy sign and then frowned. "I am sorry Steve," she huffed. "I do want to marry you. If you'll still have me?"

Steve silently pulled the ring from his finger and once again placed it on her finger; like he did some months ago. "Never a doubt," he smiled, kissing her cheek. "Come on; let's get you back to some place warm."

"Warm sounds good," Jade smiled as they stood up. Steve pulled her around to face him and smiled. "I'm not letting go of you that easily," he whispered before pulling her close and tenderly kissing her warm mouth. "But from now on, please promise me that no matter what is bothering you, even if it's a man from the past you'll confide in me instead of keeping it all bottled up inside. Remember I am here to help and listen…please promise me."

"I promise," Jade offered with a weak smile. Jade hugged him back and smiled warmly for the first time in the last few minutes. "I'm glad at least one of us is a clear thinker."

"Oh you have your moments!" Steve teased as they headed back for their cars. "Race you home?"

"Well I'm going to make a stop and see Shane first to see what's happened and to explain that I am back on the case. Sometimes Shane is the real person I feel sorry for. How about first one home makes dinner?"

"Oh I always win that," Steve replied in sarcasm. "How about last one home makes dessert?" He teased.

"Oh I always win that," Jade shot back with a wink. "How about we both do what we do best?"

"I guess I can live with that," Steve smiled as they both got into their cars and hurried to the office to finish up.

Jade headed back to the office and tried to force her mind to think on the events at hand; but she was unable. Part of her brain scolded herself for not fully trusting in Steve and the other part was starting to doubt she had given herself enough time to mourn Dean. She hoped the Steve part of her brain would win. But at this moment, she too doubted that. She needed time.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Glad to see you back partner," Shane looked up from his desk at the FBI field office in California. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. My level headed fiancé explained that if it were my murdered fiancé he'd show up with flowers and not a 9 millimeter. And he is of course right," Jade huffed as she slumped down into her leather desk chair, opposite her partner. "What else did you find?"

"Well the store security camera shows a man with a dark baseball cap and dark hair, who I might add never looked up to expose anything we can use, slowly wandered from this entrance," Shane pointed out. "Made his way down this corridor and then rested in a spot the cameras weren't looking."

"Awfully brazen to try to take us out in a china shop," Jade frowned.

"Take _you out_ you mean," Shane corrected her. "Remember Dr. Sloan said that odd guy was warning you and Steve."

"That guy was on drugs…" Jade protested. "We don't know if they are connected. So let's focus on the guy that tried to get us and let's let Steve worry about the guy at the hospital. Okay?"

"Fine," Shane drawled. "So in any event we got a first class hit man on our hands and we better start digging."

Jade stared at the computer and then a few minutes later looked up at Shane with a perplexing look.

"I hate that look. What's up?"

"Okay so if we _are_ going on this lame hunch that someone wants to take out both me and Steve then lets start with all baddies with the initials D.R. who have jumped the state line in the last year," Jade rattled off in haste.

"So _now_ you think they are connected?"

"Well if we use the angle it's _anyone_ out to get both of us, it could be any of hundreds in the past that we put away," Jade frowned. "This is much easier."

"Okay then, let's get started," Shane smiled. "So much for a quiet day off. Think we'll get higher hazard pay?"

"HA!" Jade laughed. "We already get the most hazard pa…" she started and then quickly stopped.

"What?" Shane asked quickly.

"Darla Reed."

"Who the hell is that?" Shane questioned.

"Someone to be concerned with. I vaguely remember her but from what I do she _was _bad," Jade replied with a frown. "She jumped bail at…"

"But Dr. Sloan said _he_ is here…not she…unless she is a he now?"

"Stranger things have happened," Jade said with a dry tone.

"Okay so what do we have on _it_?"

**XXXXXXXX**

_"So unsuspecting," the smug male voice taunted in a slow voice; his nervous footsteps still pacing the narrow room he was dwelling in._

_"At least Jade is running scared now," he falsely reasoned, not having witnessed her and Steve making up on the beach. "Once their union is destroyed, their demise will be much easier!"_

_"They both deserve to die!" The male voice yelled in hatred, hurling a small glass across the room, sending shards of glass and liquid in every direction. "For what they did! THEY DESERVE TO DIE!"_

_"I will have my revenge…"_

**XXXXXXXX**

"You look awfully calm for a man with a death wish against him son," Mark noted as he walked into his office and looked at Steve calmly waiting for him.

"My fiancé is the one who worries for _us_ remember?" He smiled in return.

"How is she?" Mark asked in concern.

"Well she still jumps to conclusions," Steve sighed. "But this one is a doozy dad. I mean it's the anniversary of her murdered fiancé and it just seems a strange coincidence that his initials show up on the very pin that we had our first "supposed" date. It was a symbol of things to come," Steve said pulling one from his wallet. "I even kept one for my own treasured memory."

"It's the same?"

"Identical," Steve informed him. "Except for the initials D.R."

Mark offered a deep frown and then sat down in his chair, Steve finally sitting opposite him. "What did your team find about our John Doe?"

"No prints in the system," Steve sighed. "So either he's clean and just in the wrong place at the wrong time, he's in the system but is protected for some reason or he's just managed to dodge the system all these years."

"Either way he's very suspicious," Mark replied. "He was very nervous and antsy coming in here but…"

"But what dad?"

"He knew the name _Sloan_. At least he sounded like he did. But why come here?"

"Well he obviously didn't know you were a doctor here but…"

"I hate having all these dead end questions," Mark replied. "We need just one," he started; sliding his reading glasses on and looking at the chart of the John Doe. "We just…need…one…"

"One what dad?"

"One clue to start with."

**XXXXXXXX**

"So our messenger has no _local _prints, but I am going to tap into the national database," Jade mentioned to no one in particular.

"Well this Darla Reed's history reads like a sordid soap opera. And not the good kind either," Shane stated in sarcasm. "Darla Reed did have a sex change a few years ago and no she didn't become Dean Richardson."

"Thank goodness," Jade sighed. "Or I'd need _real_ therapy."

"Darla became Donald Reed. She grew up the victim of abuse and neglect; almost usual for these kinds of stories. Always told by her father that they wanted a son, so I guess Darla grew up hating herself and created Donald and then became him when she could afford it. Ewww ugly as a woman I can't imagine what kind of guy she/he/it…what the hell do you call…"

"What they are now. So Donald Reed jumped bail at the New York state line and is where…" Jade wondered again.

"Probably here…oh this is going to be too…" Shane said looking up with sudden realization as he quickly reached for the phone and dialed directory assistance. "The number for the Blue Lagoon please. Yes connect me…hi is Donald Reed working there? Oh really? Not today? Okay…thanks…" Shane said hanging up the phone.

"Okay that was _too easy_," Jade frowned. "So Donald_ is_ working there…is he our hit man also?"

"Jade I think he probably shops at the same store and dropped the pin when he was shopping. I'll drop by the Blue Lagoon tomorrow when he's on, get a photo ID and then ask about the lost pin. I'm sure he'll say he lost it shopping and we'll confirm he lost the pin and that will be that. Then we'll be back to square one," he finished with a heavy sigh.

"But he is off today right? And there was a shooting today right? And a pin with his initials did show up today right?"

"I'll ask him tomorrow," Shane sighed. "I hate it when you are right you know."

"So do I," Jade frowned, as she leaned back in her hair. "Because something bad always happens."

They worked for another few hours and finally when it was dark outside it was time to call it a night.

"Well I am off to a home cooked meal by a wonderful man who I totally wigged out in front of today," Jade sighed. "I owe Steve."

"Lucky Steve," Shane laughed.

"And what are you up to tonight?"

"Oh I can't tell you…my night life is pretty _x-rated_," Shane bragged.

"Yeah right Amanda has a kid! You'll probably be sleeping by 10!" Jade teased as she headed for the door. "See you tomorrow."

Shane casually waved to his partner, his back to the door; not noticing the figure walking towards him as he dialed Amanda's number. "Hey beautiful what are you do…" he started and then stopped.

"Shane Phillips?" The man asked gruffly.

"Hold on a sec Amanda…" Shane said gently covering the phone. "Can I help you?"

"This is for you," the man said thrusting a letter into his hands and then turning to leave. Shane opened the letter and then stared at the wording and offered a light curse.

"What the hell…" Amanda heard him say before the phone fell to the floor and all was silent. "Oh…my…go…" was all she heard in terrified words.

"Shane!"

**XXXXXXXX**

_"Did you get the things I asked for!" The male voice barked at the caller on the receiving end of the angry phone call._

_"Yes boss I did," the informant huffed. "I got all the addresses you asked for and our friend…"_

_"You mean that rat!...is he dead?"_

_"Very much so…they'll get their package tomorrow…along with the other item you wanted planted."_

_"Excellent…" he replied in a smug tone, hanging up the phone and staring into the darkness of night. "People should never underestimate a genius…we are after all labeled that way for a reason…even if we are psychotic…"_

_His evil laugher continued to hang in the air long after he had lost the battle to sleep._

**XXXXXXXX**

"Smells good. I'm starved," Jade smiled happily as she walked up to Steve and wrapped her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly. "I am so sorry for today," she sighed. "I guess the stress of work and planning the wedding and my parents calling every day is taking its toll."

"Hmmm sounds like someone needs a massage," Steve offered playfully.

"Just one?" Jade teased with a coy smile. "Oh I think I need at least two."

"Oh really?" Steve smiled broadly as he spun himself around and pulled her close bending his head to hers and whispering in her ear.

Jade felt herself blush and her heart start to beat a bit faster. "I guess dinner will have to wait…"

**Lots more to come!**


	3. A Startling Discovery

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 3 – A Startling Discovery…**

**A/N:** Well I see a lot of hits but a few more reviews would be appreciated. You don't have to read the other stories unless you want a lot of background on Jade and Shane. So please just enjoy.

"How come you are here so late?" Jesse asked Mark as he walked into his office.

"I am worried about Steve and Jade. I mean I can't imagine both of them going through the tragedy of losing each other before they even get to spend part of their life together. Jade has become far less reckless since she met Steve and Steve doesn't throw himself into danger as much as he used to. I just want…"

"Grandchildren?" Jesse teased.

Mark shot him a look and Jesse's smile disappeared. "Sorry," Jesse offered sheepishly. "Some…day?" He added weakly.

"Well of course I'd like that but…" Mark sighed. "I just can't get out of my mind that man's look on his face when he saw their picture…Jesse it was the look of…well doom or something bad…"

"Gosh…" Jesse muttered as he slumped down before Mark in an empty chair. "Do you think they'll elope?"

**XXXXXXXX**

"Shane!" Amanda's shrill shout snapped Shane back to reality. He quickly stuffed the letter into his jacket pocket and grabbed the phone. "Sorry…okay now where…"

"What happened?" Amanda questioned. "And don't tell me nothing because the sound in your voice was of fright," she mentioned.

"No…uh it was the guy…the messenger…just scared me is all…he sort of came out of no where and…" Shane fumbled his lying words; not wanting to tell her the truth he just learned. "I'll be there in a bit. I'm leaving now."

Amanda heard the phone go dead and looked at it with a frown. She hadn't known Shane Phillips for very long but long enough to know when his voice changes meant he was lying. Something was wrong – very wrong. She had to know.

**XXXXXXXX**

Steve rolled over in the warm bed to find Jade's side empty and cold. He quickly aroused himself from his sleepy state and scanned the darkened room – she wasn't there. "Jade?" He called out softly.

After hearing nothing in return he pushed himself from the warm bed, donned his robe and hurried out into the main living area – no one around. "Jade?" He tried again. He felt a cool breeze hitting the right side of his face and immediately spied the open patio door. Rushing to it and pulling it open he spied his beloved fiancé sitting in a blanket on a chair facing the darkened ocean.

"Couldn't sleep," Jade mumbled in a lazy voice.

"Want to talk about it?"

"It was just part of a conversation that Shane and I had earlier. We were at the conference…the FedEx box arrived and it had personal affects tagged to it that were Dean's. A DNA analysis was done and it was Dean's bloody body parts…"

"But…"

"But that was it," Jade frowned. "We took it as gospel. I mean our key contact in the CIA was a traitor and a lot of information that came our way was faked."

"But if Dean were really alive wouldn't he have contacted you sooner?" Steve tried to reason.

"That's what I keep telling myself. That if our love was that special then he wouldn't put me through that. Then I draw the sad conclusion that maybe he did fake his death to get away from Carmen and moved on with his life the way he _really_ wanted to," she finished on a sad note.

"Without you? He's stupid then," Steve lightly added; hoping to make her at least break from her morbid trance. It didn't work.

"Steve why do you wan…"

"No," Steve interrupted by gently forcing her to look at him. He gently brushed away a tear after removing a warm finger from her lips. "Don't start to doubt us…if I didn't want to be here I wouldn't, and I get the feeling if you didn't want that either my arms would be empty right now."

Jade smiled in spite of her tears and then looked away with a sad glance. "I just can't help but wonder Steve. Is that wrong?" She asked, forcing herself back to his warm gaze.

"It would be wrong if you wondered enough to walk away from our future together," he answered firmly but honestly. "I am sure that you loved Dean and that his death was very painful. But you can't keep living in the past. You always tell me that…isn't it time you took a bit of your own advice?" He asked with a slight smile.

"Why don't you ask me just forget him already and be done with it?" Jade shot back.

"Because that would be mean, and I am not mean or cruel, and am not going to ask you to forget something so important. I don't think you'd do the same for me. But I don't want you to dwell on him either. I don't think that would be fair to either of us."

"Damn you were raised well," Jade smiled. "I hear your father in you."

"He'd be happy to hear you say that," Steve smiled back.

"Well Shane thinks he found a lead and we'll follow that tomorrow and…"

Steve cut off her words with another soft kiss. "Can we talk about that tomorrow?"

"Yes," Jade replied quickly. She let Steve help her stand up and was more than happy when he scooped her up and held her tightly in his arms as they slowly walked back into the beach house.

"But after all this is over you will owe me," Steve teased as he gently closed the door.

"How about a honeymoon?"

"Oh I like the sound of that."

**XXXXXXXX**

"So, what had you all concerned?" Amanda asked Shane later that night as they just lay awake together.

"Seriously that guy gave me a fright and then…well it was something that Jade said about Dean…that maybe we rushed through his investigation and…"

"You don't think he's alive do you?" Amanda asked in surprise.

"No…of course not," Shane frowned. "But there is that lingering doubt and…well I mean today was the anniversary of his death and…shesh I am starting to sound like my paranoid partner! Care to help change my mind?" Shane playfully asked Amanda.

"Oh I think I can help with that," she smiled; however carefully noting that there was still something he wasn't telling her. Was it really to do with a past investigation? Or was it something new that was a threat to the new man in her life?

**XXXXXXXX**

"Do you ever sleep?" Jesse asked Mark as he walked into his office earlier the next day.

"Don't you?" Mark shot back with a kind smile.

"Cami is out of town at that convention," Jesse sighed sadly. "I hate being home alone. What are we studying?"

"I am looking into the events in the news about Dean Richardson's death."

"You think there will be something in the local news that the FBI didn't catch?" Jesse wondered incredulously.

"Not really but it's worth the look," Mark reasoned.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Jade you are being paranoid," her father stated kindly.

"That's what Steve said," Jade sighed. "Shane is at the Blue Lagoon trying to track down Donald Reed. You have access into Dean's file…was there…"

"Anything to suggest a botched investigation? Jade, Carl Farmer worked the case. I trust him and so do you. He wouldn't lie or take a bribe to lie."

"Or Dean faked his own death," Jade pondered in misery. "Why can't I let go of that?"

"Darling _he_ could be anyone with a grudge against you and Steve. Don't forget in the last year you have worked with Steve's local force to put away a few Federal most wanted. Maybe a son or relative is out for revenge. In either case I have alerted Melvin's people and you'll have the best watching your back. Dean is gone Jade."

"Anything in the Federal database about our John Doe?" Jade questioned, wanting to change to another topic.

"Actually yes. His real name is Luke Daily, originally from Miami," Nickel Washington replied. "A few minor dings, but he _was_ arrested about two years ago for petty theft at a Federal building. That's why his prints are classified to the local level."

"Interesting, what was stolen?"

"Some desk supplies and nothing more. He was a janitor there for about a year and I guess a few of the pens were tempting," her father lightly added. "It was the FBI building here in DC. But he has no ties to the Sloan's in any way."

"Well he knows someone who knows both of us and he had a warning message. We traced the cab and he was dropped at an abandoned work site and then vanished. The CSI team found nothing at the drop site. As if sent from below with a message from the Devil," Jade grumbled angrily. "And the vanished."

"Sadly I think our assassin is from this realm," her father sighed. "Let me know what Shane finds out and we'll keep trying to track down Luke Daily on this end. I'll get my most trusted agent to start some digging. But do you want me to reopen Dean's case?"

"No," Jade replied in sorrow. "Let the past remain the past. The man who threatened Steve and I and shot at Shane and I in the store is not a ghost. I'm still going to work with the D.R. on this end but I wouldn't mind a little superior help."

"So you think they are related then?" Nickel asked his daughter.

"Well that's the best lead we have so far so I am going with it. Thanks for the help."

"Always. Mom says hi and sends her love. We'll see you in two weeks."

"Bye," Jade finished with a smile as she hung up the phone stared at it for a few minutes. Jade got up and was about to start creating her evidence timeline on the white board when there was a knock at the door.

"I have a package for Jade Marshall," the FedEx delivery driver said handing her a large package sealed in plastic. "It's kinda heavy. Expecting something nice?" He asked with a casual smile.

"Wedding presents," she sighed. "Probably more china."

"Lucky guy," the driver winked before turning to leave.

Jade absently started to open the package when her assistant walked in. "Here is the file on…" she started and then stopped as she watched in horror the scene unfold before her.

Jade tore open the top of the box and gasped before running to the garbage to throw up her lunch.

"Oh…my…god…" she gasped in horror as the bloody body part lay exposed at the top of the box. Marcy, the assistant rushed to the phone and dialed Shane's number.

"Shane…"

"I'm on my way…."

"Jade just got a FedEx box of bloody body parts!" She burst out before dropping the phone and rushing to her boss's side.

"WHAT!" Shane yelled into the phone, swerving and just missing a car he nearly crashed into upon hear those fateful words.

Jade's watery eyes forced themselves back to the box and then to Marcy. "Get the CSI team in here now! Touch nothing!" She half shouted before dialing Steve's number.

"Jade?" Steve said looking up from his paperwork.

"Come…here…now…"

"Jade? What's wrong?"

"Just…COME!..."

Jade dropped the phone and then forced herself back against the wall while curious eyes peered into the desk of the senior FBI agent's office. Melvin was on the phone to Nickel who was on the phone to whoever he could get to expedite the DNA testing on the contents of the box.

"JADE!" Shane shouted as he pushed his way past everyone and into the doorway of his shared office. "Oh…god…" he uttered before turning away sick. He forced himself back to Jade, and just stared at her in misery.

"Shane…it's…"

"It can't be…" Shane protested.

"Jade!" Steve shouted as he too pushed his way through the onlookers and then watched as the CSI team finished their work on the bloody box and then looked at his fiancé crumbled on the floor.

Steve rushed past the CSI team and headed for Jade around the other side of the desk. He bent down and held her trembling body. "You can't fall apart now."

"I want a rush put on this!" Melvin Baker directed. "And I want the results sent to me alone!"

Shane watched with a frown as the excitement started to die down. His own recent, troubling news had to be put on hold until all this was taken care of. Lives were at stake, all of theirs. "Jade, tell me what happened."

"I was on the phone to dad and then hung up and was about to start an evidence board when FedEx walked in and…and…oh god Shane…"

"Carmen Parks murdered your fiancé. Dean's death was leaked to the papers because his discovery was so sensational. This is a copycat."

"I want this guy Shane," Jade stated, looking up at Shane with anger and frustration. "Whatever it takes."

"Right," Shane sighed as he pushed himself back up and started to usher the curious onlookers out of the room. When it was just him, Steve and Jade left he closed the door and started up his computer. "So anyone want to hear about Donald Reed?"

"I do," Jade offered numbly.

"Are you sure?" Steve asked in concern. "I mean…"

"Steve you are the one who always tells me not to fall apart at opportune times; I think this counts as one of those times."

"I do always say that," Steve resigned.

"So while the CSI team is working on that box we just…just move on…Shane what did you find out?"

Steve watched Jade with a concerned glance. She was putting on a very brave face for the two men on either side of her; but he also knew her well enough that if her hands were trembling her world was about to collapse. He just had to make sure he was there to catch her when she fell.

"Well Donald Reed was indeed at the Malibu Plaza in the last few days but he wasn't yesterday. He was at his regular weekly doctor's appointment getting his hormone therapy for his well…sex change and yes it did check out and it's at least two hours from here and would take the whole day."

"Donald used to be a she?" Steve questioned.

"Don't ask," Jade frowned lightly.

"He said that all new staff are given a pin of the Blue Lagoon with their initials on it and he did lose his in the past few days along with a jacket, he just didn't remember where so he didn't report it to any stores," Shane finished. "So partly good news and partly bad…"

"Well we just lost our most credible lead," Jade replied in sarcasm. "What is the good news?"

"We can stop talking about Donald Reed?" Shane smiled, trying to break the tension.

"Funny," Jade sighed. "So dad found the ID of our John Doe; whose real name is Luke Daily. He was arrested in DC for petty crimes on a Federal building which is why his prints didn't show up locally, and I guess is out here now working for our assassin. So we still keep looking for others that Steve and I helped to put away who would have the most to lose by being incarcerated."

"Any mob connections?" Shane wondered as he continued to search the database.

"That would be kinda obvious wouldn't it," Steve suggested.

"It wouldn't if there were more than one of them locked away and they were _all_ arguing about who was working with whom to take us out," Jade offered. She sat back in her chair and gazed out the window; a new suggestion coming to her mind.

"I know that look…what are we missing?"

"The motive," Jade said looking back at them. "Just pure revenge? But why? The mob could buy their way out of any jail if they really wanted to…"

"A son seeking revenge for a father?" Steve added.

"A jilted lover?" Shane joked. When no one laughed he looked up with a frown. "What, you guys sleep with the same _guy_ who wants you dead."

"Not even funny," Steve frowned. "But…" he said looking at Jade.

"Oh no, you are not going to suggest a jilted lover from my past who doesn't want to see me get married," Jade protested. "Why shoot at Shane then?"

"I think we have two different incidents here," Steve suggested.

All three of them sat and pondered that statement; for it did hold truthful merit.

"Okay I am going to continue to work the shopping mall shooting," Shane volunteered. "You two work on Luke Daily and…" he stopped as the phone rang. He pressed speaker and all three listened intently to the words that followed. "Ah CSI…maybe a break…"

"This is John Brush from the CSI lab here in LA. Melvin Baker told me to call you."

"What did you find John?" Shane asked quickly.

"Well the DNA results matched a DNA profile we already had in our system. The guy…well what's left of him…his name is Luke Daily…and…" John's voice trailed off as all three sat and looked at each other in horror. Their second lead was now another dead end. Their luck just ran out.

"Someone just killed the messenger," Jade uttered in horror.

**XXXXXXXX**

_"And now you are all wondering if Donald Reed was a dead end, and your messenger is now dead, who can you turn to as a suspect? But you haven't answered the most important question of all…**who** wants you all dead? And why?"_

_The man cloaked in black walked over to a small table and picked up the picture of a woman he loved dearly. He gazed at her picture with a longing glance before pulling his eyes away. "I will succeed…for both of us…very soon my love…very soon…"_


	4. Out of the Blue

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 4 – Out of the Blue…**

"So now both our good leads are dead leads," Shane grumbled as he quickly requested CSI to send over the file and hung up the phone.

Jade just stared the phone with a numb feeling. "So someone has gone to great lengths to re-enact parts of a case that was closed some time ago. We know that Carmen, Arthur and Mr. White are all dead."

"So is Dean," Shane added for good measure. "Dr. Sloan gets a guy who wants to warn _you_ and Steve that _he's_ coming and then _you_ and I are shot at in the mall by an as of yet unidentified male. Sorry partner, but _you_ are the only common denominator in this whole equation."

"Unless we follow your line of reasoning and its two separate cases that by a strange coincidence happened to happen on the same day," Jade continued. "Perhaps, to throw us all off the real motive?"

"Which is…" Shane drawled.

"What we still need to learn."

**XXXXXXXX**

"So that is creepy," Amanda said walking into Mark's office. "I just finished working with the CSI team and it's our John Doe, whose real name is Luke Daily."

Mark looked up at Amanda with shock and surprise. "What else did the autopsy…well of sorts…turn up," Mark asked, taking the file from Amanda.

"There were a few parts missing…mostly large body parts like the whole upper body…but some of the organs like the liver and heart were in the box. The bulk of the legs and arms were missing, except the feet and the hands that were included and the head."

"Man I can't imagine what Jade first thought when she opened the box," Jesse remarked.

"What was this unknown DNA strand that was found?"

"The team was unable to make an exact match so it's being sent to Carl Farmer in DC to work on; as per the direction of Melvin Baker."

"Ah my Director friend," Mark lightly smiled. "What was the silver object?"

"Oh it was strange…a silver earring was found in the victim's left ear."

"Why strange, some guys do wear earrings," Jesse stated.

"This was a long, dangly woman's earring," Amanda shot back in sarcasm.

"Can I see the picture?"

"Sure," Amanda answered, handing the picture to Mark. "Looks pretty expensive."

"What did Jade say about this?"

"None of them apparently asked. I think they are more concerned with the fact their John Doe is dead and so is the Blue Lagoon lead."

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade's mind continued to wander away from the conversation at hand. It would show her images of Dean and their first meeting.

_'You've met my sister right?' Jade asked in a disappointed tone.  
__'Yes…so?'  
__'Well…nothing…'  
__'I am not interested in her advances, if that's what you mean. I want to be with you. Let's just forget about Carmen.'_

Jade offered a weak inner smile and then quickly got back into the discussion; a smile not lost on Steve, but one that didn't make him happy either.

"Well since the mall shooting is mine I'm going over to the CSI lab and going to work with their technology whizzes to see what else I missed in those surveillance tapes," Shane announced as he stood up and reached for his FBI jacket. "See you guys later."

"I want to visit the site Luke Daily was dropped at. I know the CSI team has already been there but I just want to revisit. Want to come along?" She asked with a smile.

"You know our first case together was sort of similar," Steve remarked. "And see how good it turned out."

Jade just offered a simple smile in return and led the way out of the office. The ride to the site was one of tormented silence until Steve couldn't take it any longer. "I know this is bothering you, but you have to reason it's a copy cat. Right?"

Jade's mind however, kept displaying bits and pieces of her time with Dean. "Jade?" Steve's soft call broke her morbid concentration.

"Oh sorry," Jade offered with a limp smile. "Copy-cat…right… well I keep telling myself that is the most logical explanation," Jade sighed.

"Oh I hear a "but" in there," Steve sighed.

"I am wondering if perhaps we forgot someone from Carmen's twisted band of sicko's and they are out for revenge. If it were someone close to Carmen then they'd know all the stuff that happened during the case and would want revenge on both of us for her death."

"Hmmm that does make sense," Steve agreed. "But you got the white house informant. Carmen and Arthur were both killed and their thugs were arrested and now awaiting trail. Who's left?"

"That's what we need to find out. Course all the things so far haven't been out of the ordinary. There is nothing to suggest something other than a copycat," Jade frowned as she dialed her father. After explaining her theory to her dad and enlisting his help they reached the drop site. The area was all but deserted; a building project put on hold a few years back and never picked up due to poor location. Jade and Steve started to look around the drop site and then head towards the only structure left standing, a few metal beams thrown together to look like a shack.

"Look for anything and bag it," Jade reminded Steve. Steve watched her in amazement. She was able to get a box of bloody body parts and yet still keep the composure to continue the hunt for the killer; it was the personal, emotional stuff she had trouble with.

Jade looked up at Steve, caught him looking and offered a smile in return. She had closed herself off from the world for so long that she still had trouble; even now, even engaged to a wonderful man; in sharing what she was thinking and feeling. She always said that emotional weakness was for the mentally disturbed. Steve, however, worked hard to assure her that showing emotional weakness to _him_ was a sign of trust and strength of love. That is what she needed to keep believing in. "I'm going in," she called to Steve as she drew her weapon and small flashlight.

"I'll take the back," Steve informed her as he did the same.

Jade carefully pulled the failing door open and squinted into the dimly lit, dank smelling establishment. "Hello? Police!" She called out firmly. The only sounds to be heard were the scurrying of rodents and her heart, rapidly picking up the pace. She took another step only to step on something that let out a help, causing her to do the same. A few seconds and she had herself composed and was finally inside the building. She heard Steve coming in the back and let out a small sigh of relief.

Her flashlight danced around the dark corners of the square to reveal it was devoid of life; yet a nagging feeling inside said they weren't alone.

"Anything?" Steve called out.

"Nothing but rats, and I don't mean the two legged kind," Jade huffed. "You?"

"Just a few traces of garbage," Steve replied. "Nothing that we can use though."

Jade continued to work her way towards Steve in the darkness finally stopping a few feet away. Steve heard Jade and looked at her and then his head snapped up, followed by his gun.

"Don't move…" Steve ordered firmly.

"What? Why?" Jade questioned. "Steve what's gotten into you?"

"I am talking to the _man _behind you."

**XXXXXXXX**

"So what are we looking for?" The IT tech at the CSI office asked Shane.

"Anything…that…doesn't…fit…" Shane uttered slowly as he scanned every inch of space on the display TV before them. "Something…like…that…" he said pointing to the corner of an emblem on the sleeve of a man wearing a dark cap. "Can you tell me what that belongs to?"

"It might take a bit," the CSI tech offered.

"I can wait."

**XXXXXXXX**

Mark continued with the rest of his daily activities but his mind kept returning to the terrified look on the messengers face. It was the look of pure terror. As if he were being forced to deliver a message that he knew would mean the end of his own life but one he still had no choice but to deliver.

"I know that look," Amanda said walking into Mark's office.

"And I know _that_ look," Mark countered, looking at Amanda in concern. "What's wrong?"

"I think Shane is hiding something from me," she sighed sadly, slumping down in front of Mark's desk.

"Tell me what happened."

**XXXXXXXX**

As if on instinct, Jade whizzed around, gun in hand and launched herself sideways into his body. They both tumbled to the ground. Jade felt Steve yank her off and within seconds the man seeking shelter had two angry law enforcement officers pointing their weapons at him.

"D-don't…sh…shoot…" he offered meekly.

"Who are you!" Jade demanded in anger.

"Uh…S…Sam Callow…"

"What are you doing here Sam Callow?" Steve followed.

"Sl…sleeping…" he stammered.

Steve and Jade looked at each other sideways before dropping their guns; but keeping them ready at their sides.

"Why didn't you identify yourself earlier when I called out?" Jade asked impatiently.

"Look I don't d-do drugs and I d-don't steal…I thought that…well y-you guys always th-thinkk that we are the…"

"Are you drunk?" Steve sighed.

"A-a little…but I'm a go-good person," the Sam announced happily.

Steve started to question Sam as Jade looked around for anyone else that might be lurking; another set of eyes that might have witness the murder of Luke Daily. Steve finished with Sam, handing him a card for rehab and then headed back outside to Jade.

"Well he said that in his drunken stupor, he saw a cab drop a guy outside, the guy waited for a bit and then was picked up by a white van with a strange logo…it looked like this," Steve said handing her a piece of paper.

"Do you know this?" Jade asked quickly.

"I have a hunch…" Steve smiled.

"Good enough for me," Jade said firmly as she and Steve headed back to the car and were once again off chasing their would-be assassin turned murderer.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Excellent," Shane said; grabbing the paper from the CSI's hands before the tech had a chance to tell him what it was.

Shane gestured to a local cop to come along as backup and in a matter of seconds they too were off; not knowingly heading in the same direction as another interested party.

**XXXXXXXX**

_The man sat quietly doing his mundane job as he always had. It was so easy to fool simple minded people with his sordid explanation for his current life circumstances. And they bought it – enough to give him a job without a thorough background check. _

_"Oh today is…" the smug male voice taunted the picture on the desk before him. But quickly stopped short as he heard the sound of screeching tires._

_"Not possible!" His mind seethed in horror; looking out the window to see both Jade and Shane's FBI issue vehicles pull up to his building at the same time._

_"How the hell did they find me!" He yelled inside his mind, as he turned around and headed back to his desk. He bent over, pretending to pick something up, pushed a button, which unbeknownst to everyone around him, was the mechanism to seal up his hidden lair; a lair concealed in cement a few feet below his very workstation. _

_"Damn them…damn them all…"_

_"_Creed? Is something wrong?" A lady beside him asked.

"No…" he lied.

**XXXXXXXX**

"What on earth…" Jade started.

"What the…" Shane echoed as both their cars pulled to a halt a few feet from the other.

"What are you doing here?" Shane and Jade asked simultaneously as they just stared at each other in wonder.

"Our masked shooter from the shopping mall security has this company's emblem on his jacket," Shane told them.

"A bum at the messenger drop site drew the same one about our dead messenger," Jade explained.

The four of them reconvened in front of the building about to enter. Shane had given instructions for the two tailing police cars to seal off the building from behind.

"Let's go…" Shane directed as he pulled the door open and entered the rather non-descript looking establishment.

The four law enforcement officials walked into the building with Shane taking the lead. Jade's eyes started to look at the surprised faces of the workers as her partner made arrangements to clear and search the building. They soon had their needed cooperation and started with the employees; unaware that the very mastermind they were looking for wasn't more than a few feet away; laughing inwardly at their naivety, but waiting for the opportunity to finish them off for good.

Jade and Shane studied the group and then both cast their gaze on a young man that appeared very nervous. "Very familiar…" Shane whispered to his partner. "You talk to him."

They each took one corner and Jade's eyes fixed on the fifth man; a younger man in his mid twenties she guessed with very piercing eyes. When she reached him; she immediately sensed a tension in the air but wondered why. She didn't know this man from Adam.

"How long have you worked here?" Jade asked the young man the same question she did the others.

"A few years. Was all I could find," he mumbled sadly. "I have bum arm," he finished in a sad tone; showing her a false right hand; which was false indeed – part of his masterful disguise.

"Thanks," Jade continued with her questions until she was sure he wasn't involved as he had been working that day, seen by all the staff and vouched for also; then she moved on.

"Okay so this was an exercise in futility," Steve said walking up to Jade and touching the small of her back.

_An interested set of eyes immediately narrowed and seethed at the gesture. Obviously Steve Sloan was able to win her back. He'll pay for that. I will see them destroyed!_

"I guess…" Shane started, walking up to them with a frown, only to be interrupted by a call on his radio. "You found what? We'll be right there…let's go."

The four rushed out the back door; leaving an officer to make sure the employee stayed where they were until directed to leave.

"Where did you find it?" Jade asked as she bent down and examined the jacket, cap and sniper barrel one of the officers had found.

"In the dumpster, a kid was pulling it out," the officer replied. "He's in the squad car now. He claims he was looking for stuff other than that."

"Well I don't think our kid is our assassin I do think it's possible our assassin might have sent a kid back to retrieve what he quickly left behind," Steve pondered. "The store is…"

"A bit too far for running distance. Could have driven by on the way to his hideout and just threw it into the trash," One of the officers suggested.

"Or it was planted here because this person knew we'd soon discover what the emblem belonged to and come and search the place," Jade piped up. "Perhaps to keep us from looking inside the building," she finished by looking up with a frown.

"I'll get a warrant to search the place," Shane stated as he turned his back to them and opened his phone.

"What is it?" Steve asked Jade.

"This is all too easy," Jade frowned, her brain starting to ponder all the events that happened to date. "So our two events _are_ connected. We have a messenger at the hospital with a warning for us. He's killed and sent to me in a box. We have an assassin in the mall whose disguise is left in the garbage bin for us and we find it. It's as if…" she turned away, her gaze narrowing in the distance; then she looked back at Steve with wonder. "It's as if we have a copy cat who is trying to scare us for some reason but then is very sloppy with the clean up." Jade finished as she watched the police officers starting to cordon off the area to await the arrival of the CSI team.

"Unless he intends it that way," Steve added. "Maybe all of this is just a set up for something else…but what?"

"Well at least now we have one case and one suspect," Jade sighed. "Once Shane gets that warrant I want all these people out of here and we'll start searching this building. I think there is more to this place than meets the eye. I think this building is hiding something…"

"Like our killer?" Steve uttered fatefully.

"If we are lucky."

**XXXXXXXX**

"What is all this stuff!" Jesse exclaimed as he walked into Mark's office later that afternoon.

"Jade's mother, Chloe, sent over some boxes via FedEx because there was no one at Jade's to accept," Mark smiled.

"School treasures," Jesse read a label. "Cool stuff," he laughed as he read another box label. "Jade? Cool? Uh…" he stopped when Mark cleared his throat. "Well cool okay yes."

Mark just smiled as he read one of the smaller boxes. "_Sister_," he frowned.

"She kept stuff on Carmen?" Jesse questioned.

"I guess so. I guess there was a time before they became mortal enemies when they shared…well...things…" Mark replied as he tested the lid. "How very clumsy of those delivery guys."

"Mark you shouldn't," Jesse stated as he moved closer. "What's in it?"

Jesse accidentally bumped the loose lid, causing it to fall to the floor. "I swear I didn't do that on purpose."

"Uh huh…" Mark smiled as he looked down at a picture and then did a double take.

"What is it Mark? You look as though you've seen a ghost," Jesse commented lightly.

"Maybe I have…" Mark said pulling out two small photographs. "This is of Jade at her graduation from the FBI and this one from the day of the press conference Dean's body was delivered to," Mark said holding up for Jesse to see. "Notice anything familiar?"

"I…" Jesse started and then stopped, looking up at Mark in concern. "Is that…but how…Mark what does this mean? Could it be Jade?"


	5. Peer into my Mind! If you dare!

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 5 – Peer into my Mind! If you dare!**

_'I hate you Dean!'  
__'Pl-lease…no…more…'  
__'I WANT YOU DEAD!'  
__'But…I…'  
__'YOU DON'T LOVE ME! YOU LOVE HER! AND I HATE YOU FOR THAT!'  
__'No…please…'  
__'Shut up! Just shut up and die!' The angry voice yelled as it raised the deadly weapon once more. It took no pity on the life it was ending; giving thought only to the pain it was forced to endure and the future it was now forced to live.  
__'You'll pay…you…will…pay…'_

**XXXXXXXX**

A half hour later Shane, Jade and Steve were already starting their preliminary search in the building. The other LAPD officers had escorted all the workers out of the building and set up a perimeter, ensuring no one entered unless authorized by the FBI.

"We'll each take a floor and check in every twenty minutes," Jade instructed as they headed for the elevator. There are only five floors so we should be able to do a good sweep before the forensic team arrives. Let's get this done before the sun sets – which will be soon."

Steve took the top floor, Shane the second and Jade stayed on the main level.

_Hmmm I wonder if I'll find some prey in my trap, a silent voice laughed as it watched from outside. But thanks to the busy officers, was able to disappear into the crowd and enter the building from a secret door and into the darkness to wait. He quickly shed the disguise of his bad appendage, dropping the fake hand into a nearby garbage shute and heading back to his waiting prey._

Jade started to slowly enter each office and do a surface sweep before putting a small flag on each door that the forensic team needed to investigate further. Jade's eyes rested on one of the workers desks and she was about to pull open their drawers when she heard a slight scuffle at the back of the room and immediately froze. "Anyone there?" She called out lightly; her gun instantly out of its holster and at her side.

Her heart started to beat a bit faster as she slowly started to walk towards a darkened section that led to who knows where. "Hello?" She called out again in a rather nervous tone. She reached the back and tried to reach for a light switch to light the area before her but found none. However, in a few seconds someone had shorted out the electrical panel and the whole building was bathed in darkness.

_"Welcome Jade,"_ a voice said from behind her. Jade turned just in time to be grabbed from behind by two strong hands dragging her into a small room. Her cries for help were quickly muffled by a damp rag being held over her face until she went limp in her captor's arms. The man from the shadows quickly dragged Jade into another small room, roughly bound her hands and feet with heavy tape, gagged her also and left her in the dark; sealed in a heavy cement tomb; heading for his second intended victim. He had to work fast.

_"You're next Sloan!"_ He closed the secret panel that kept Jade locked away from the world and headed up a back flight of stairs to where Steve Sloan was investigating.

"What's up?" Steve asked Shane on his two-way radio as he stood fixed in his place on the darkened floor.

"I just called one of the other officers who is checking it out now. Did you get a hold of Jade?"

"No, did you?" Steve asked in worry. When Shane said no, Steve cut him off and radioed Jade. There was no answer.

_"Looking for your fiancé?"_ Asked an angry voice from behind. Steve turned around only to be met in the face with a hard piece of wood. His large body started to fall to the floor when he felt himself being hit again. His world went even darker. Steve's attacker grabbed his arms and started to drag him to his secret passageway. He finally managed to get Steve's body into the small freight elevator and then down to the sub basement. Once there he dragged his body towards a waiting van and stuffed him inside, before getting in and closing the door shut. He quickly tied Steve up also and then opened the door that would lead into an underground tunnel system; taking the assailant and his victim back into the busy streets of LA. The assailant, however, failed to notice Steve starting to stir.

Steve's head was really aching as he slowly started to come too. He quickly realized something was wrong when he couldn't move or speak. His eyes started to look around the dark van he was being carried in and noticed it cut him off from the drivers view. Damn he cursed inside! His mind then started to race with panicked thoughts of Jade. Was this the man trying to kill them? What had happened to her? Was she too a captive? That thought scared him! However, he told himself he had to remain calm in order to plan his escape. He started to rest his weary body in order to relax his bonds and listen to where he was being taken.

"Jade? Steve?" Shane's worried voice asked over the radio's. When he got no reply he called down to the LAPD and told them to seal the building even from the forensic team. He finally made his way down to the outside and looked around to see if any of his missing team was there. When he couldn't' find them he dialed Mark.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Mark you don't think…it can't be Jade!" Jesse breathed in horror. "Do you really believe that?"

"No, of course I don't," Mark frowned. "But someone really wants us to believe that."

"But how can we be sure it's the same earring?" Jesse wondered, as he stared at the picture in Mark's hand and then down at the evidence picture on Mark's desk.

"There is too much at stake here to be…" Mark started only to be cut off by his phone ringing.

Jesse continued to study the pictures as Amanda walked in. Both were startled by Mark's shrill "what do you mean missing?" comment and then waited as he hung up.

"That was Shane, he said they were ambushed by _someone_ at the building where their would-be assassin was," Mark frowned. "Both Steve and Jade are missing."

"Oh no," Amanda remarked. "Mark what if…"

Mark turned and stared out the window in horror. His heart started to race at the thought of not only losing his beloved son but also his soon to be daughter in law, a woman he had come to love as his own daughter.

"Shane _will_ find them," Amanda assured Mark as she gently squeezed his arm. "They _will_ be okay."

She looked at Jesse who could only stare back in misery.

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade slowly felt her world coming back to her, but it was painful and fuzzy. She opened her eyes and tried to call out when panic quickly set in. She soon realized she was bound with tape and gagged also. Her small, muffled sounds were silenced by the thick concrete walls.

Steve help me, her mind called out in fear as she continued in vain to try to free herself. Her captor, although in a rush, had done his job well; wrapping her wrists roughly with duct tape but then wrapping several strands around her waist pinning her arms at her sides. She tried to call out once more, but felt her dry throat starting to strain at the futility of her silence. She closed her eyes and prayed she would be found by Steve or anyone else besides her captor.

**XXXXXXXX**

_'You…you...can't…  
__'DIE ALREADY!' The voice yelled again! Dean Richardson's killer closed their eyes and prayed for relief from their murderous past – it wasn't to be.  
__'I'm…I'm...NOT...SORRY!' _Their mind yelled in torment, a single tear escaping.  
_'I'm…I'M NOT SORRY! I'M NOT SORRY AT ALL! YOU RUINED MY LIFE! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU….I…' the voice trailed off back into darkness. Dean Richardson's hacked up body lay before the murderous eyes in bloody pieces. The killer feeling only regret they hadn't done it sooner._

**XXXXXXXX**

Steve continued to work at his bonds to no avail. Whoever his captor was was efficient at his work. His arms soon tired and he had no choice but to lay back down in angry defeat. His mind continued to race with anguished thoughts of Jade taken captive. He tried to reason that maybe she escaped and he was the only intended target. After what seemed like a small eternity the dark van finally came to a stop.

"Hope you enjoyed the ride, _detective Sloan_," a male voice hissed angrily from a small vent in the front seat. "It will be short lived!"

Steve uttered angry curses from his gagged lips and tried to kick at the van sides.

"Shesh you never learn," the male voice huffed as he slammed the little vent closed and pressed a button that sent white smoke into the back compartment. Steve heard the front door open and then close and was left alone to breathe in the smoke; which he assumed was more knock out gas. In a matter of seconds he was right; and was once again whisked into the tormented world of black oblivion.

**XXXXXXXX**

Shane felt his nervous tension starting to raise more at the thought of his friends being picked off one at a time by an invisible attacker. He looked at the crowed of curious employees and noticed something was missing.

"Where is…" he said rushing for the waiting group. "There was a young man with dark hair and strange eyes…he had a bad hand."

"You mean Creed?" One of the young women asked.

"My partner was talking to him earlier. Where is he?"

"Well he was right here," one of the older ladies frowned.

"I want Creed…" Shane called out and then stopped. "What's his last name?"

"Williams."

**XXXXXXXX**

Mark continued to slowly pace his office making Amanda and Jesse even more nervous.

"Mark why don't you go home and wait? It'll be better than just doing nothing," Amanda suggested in a kind tone."

"I just can't do that," Mark frowned as he turned back to the picture of the earring. "I guess we don't know where the other one is right?"

"Mark if that was the style back then then…" Jesse tried.

"Jesse it just doesn't seem possible that we have two earrings that just happen to show up connected to the same person."

"So someone is out for revenge on Jade," Amanda frowned.

"And Steve is caught in the middle," Mark huffed. "He better be okay."

**XXXXXXXX**

_"I hate you Sloan," Creed sighed as he continued to destroy everything he could find in Steve's suite. "I have only heard about you but today we finally meet," he stated angrily as he smashed another picture of Steve and Jade. "You took her away from me! I HATE YOU!"_

_He picked up the last one and spat on it in anger. "It should have been him not you!" He flung the picture to the far corner and slumped down in a sobbing defeat; his rage and frustration finally winning out. He sagged to his knees and hung his head, his angry tears starting to form in his evil eyes.  
__  
"I will have my revenge…"  
__With that he pushed himself back up, rushed back outside picking up a piece of 2x4 as he neared the van; pulled the back door open and looked down at his sleeping victim.  
__  
"I hate you Steve Sloan!" He yelled, delivering the first of many deadly blows. "NOW YOU DIE!"_

**XXXXXXXX**

"We have a team canvassing the neighbourhood and another two teams inside the building. We'll find them," an LAPD officer informed Shane. "But I need you to come with me."

"You are in charge until I get back. If you find this Creed Williams I want him held!" Shane ordered as he took off in a running pursuit after the uniformed officer.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Hey Amanda," a girl said walking up to her with CJ in tow.

"Thanks Sally," Amanda smiled as she took her son and gave him a hug.

"Sane?" CJ announced as he lifted his arms to his mother.

"Sally why does he have Shane's jacket on?"

"We found it…"

"Oh that's right he dropped him off this morning because I had to be here early," Amanda smiled as she took the jacket and held it close. "Smells good," she murmured making Mark smile. She put the jacket on and then continued her discussion with Mark and Jesse about the earring. Amanda pondered their new theory, her hands always in and out of the pockets in Shane's jacket. She felt a strange seal on a piece of paper and pulled it out. She looked at the government agency insignia and frowned.

"What's this?" She asked softly, not breaking Mark and Jesse from their discussion. She looked at the subject title and frowned. "Oh no…" without saying another word she quickly stuffed the letter back into his jacket and tried to get back into the discussion. "Why wouldn't he just tell me?" She asked in torment. She made a mental note to talk to Shane about it later.

"Amanda?" Jesse asked, snapping her back to reality.

They were about to start into another box when the phone rang.

"Dr. Mark Sloan?" Asked a male voice.

"This is he," Mark answered in worry. "Have you found Steve?"

"Oh sorry this is Carl Farmer from DC. I am the agent that Nickel Washington got to work this case. I was able to finally get a match on that unknown DNA strand found on both the body parts belonging to Dean Richardson and Luke Daily."

"Who is it?" Jesse asked in haste.

"Well the name I have in the system is Creed Williams but…"

"Does he have another name?" Mark inquired.

"He does," Carl replied with a frown before sucking in his breath. "Oh my…"

"Who is it Carl?" Mark demanded. "Who is behind all this? Who is he?!"

"It's…"

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade continued her futile attempt at escape. She thought she could hear muffled voices overhead and tried to call out for help – but to no avail. Her only chance was to work the bonds loose and get free of her dark tomb before her captor arrived. She tried to push her feet back to her fingers so they would work at the tape.

Success! Her fingers found the tape that bound her ankles and she started to get busy. Sadly, however, after only a few minutes, with the drugs still in her system she just worked herself into a sweat and started to feel dizzy and had to stop. But thinking her captor had also attacked Steve only renewed her efforts and she was back at trying to get free.

**XXXXXXXX**

_"There…" Creed stated sadly as he gazed down at the bruised and bloody body of Steve Sloan, still bound and gagged in the back of his van. "Would you like to die at home?" He sneered as he got back into the front seat, turned the van on and then backed up to Steve's patio door. He dragged Steve's limp and dying body from the van and merely dumped it into the front entrance way._

_"Die alone Steve Sloan…you deserve to die ALONE!"_

_Creed looked back into the van, past the front seat and at a picture of Jade and Steve smiling and holding each other. "You're next my sweet.."_

_"One down…one to go…"_

**XXXXXXXX**

Shane hurried to the back of the building after the other officer and then stopped when they were met by two others. "What did you guys find?"

"Well these tire marks feel awfully fresh," Shane pondered as he looked up and squinted into the darkened alley way before him. He stood up and took a few hesitant steps towards the black tunnel, three other guns drawn behind him, waiting.

"Sir…" one of them called to Shane.

"Just wait there," Shane hissed in return as he took a few more steps towards alley. But in a matter of seconds he banged into something hard and fell backwards.

"What on earth?" He asked, being quickly helped up by two other officers. All four of them stood and examined the illusion before them.

"It's hard metal sir, painted to look like a dead end road," one of them discovered upon further examination.

"What does it hide?" Shane questioned. "Let's get it open," he commanded the other three as he stood off to the side. Sadly he failed to notice the hidden trap as he stepped on to it. He let out a cry for help before being swallowed by the ground.

"Hey!" One of the officers shouted as they turned and rushed to the area Shane was standing only seconds earlier.

One of the officers cell phones rang – it was Mark's excited voice on the other end. "I need to speak to Shane Phillips," Mark asked quickly, looking at Jesse and Amanda with a frown. They listened to the commotion on the other end of the speaker phone with interest. "What happened?" Jesse asked.

"Dr. Sloan…well we have a problem," one of the officers said quickly.

"Have you found my son? Jade Marshall?" Mark demanded.

"Not yet sir," was the reply.

"Well then let me speak to Shane…"

"I can't sir…he's gone…he was just here and then…"

"What do you mean Shane is gone?"

"What? What happened?" Amanda asked in dread.

"The ground ma'am…it just swallowed him up. I am sorry but he's gone."

The phone went dead, filling the now quiet room housing with the three wondering medical professionals. Their world came to a crashing halt as they realized they might have lost everything they hold dear. There was no where else to go. They had literally hit the end.


	6. Two Worlds Collide…

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 6 – Two Worlds Collide…**

Jade continued to work at her bonds, unaware of the danger her beloved fiancé was facing or the predicament her partner was now in. She continued to hear muffled voices but her yelling was useless. She could feel the tape around her feet loosening but feared it wouldn't be in time to be of any benefit to anyone.

**XXXXXXXX**

After what felt like an agonizing eternity, Steve slowly felt his world coming back; although not completely. His whole body ached and as each minute passed he could feel himself drifting further and further towards the black oblivion of death. His head swam with dizzy pain and there was no part of his brain telling his body to try to free himself; it was painful even to think. He was sure the beating at the hands of his captor was meant to leave him for dead. His throat swallowed small trickles of blood and he felt himself drifting back into darkness.

He feared that if he wasn't found soon – that's exactly what would happen – he'd be dead for sure. He drifted back into oblivion for what he thought was the last time. His mind called out to Jade the one person he loved more than life itself. A life he wanted to share with her but now dreaded it might never happen. Was this really the end?

**XXXXXXXX**

"I'm going down there," Amanda declared as she rushed into the hallway and called the sitter back.

"What? You can't," Jesse said in concern.

"Mark, if Shane or Jade or Steve are hurt they'll need someone to tend to them right away," Amanda said in haste. "If that Carl Farmer guy is right then Creed won't hesitate to kill Jade or Steve or even Shane for that matter. We can't…" she rattled off.

"Go," Mark huffed. "I'll wait here. I think I'll get a police officer to swing by the house just in case," Mark frowned.

In a matter of minutes CJ was back with the sitter, Jesse was trying to tend to his duties and Mark, who had called an officer to check on his place was slowly pacing his office floor, trying to figure out just how they could stop this madman bent on revenge. He looked at picture of Carmen and Jade standing side by side.

"I can see it now," Mark smiled. "_He_ does have your eyes."

**XXXXXXXX**

Shane's world came back to him with a painful realization that he had fallen down a hidden shaft and landed hard on his foot, probably breaking it he guessed. He looked up and realized the faint light source was the officers above him, probably frantically trying to find a way to help him back to safety.

"He-hello?" Shane coughed into his radio. It was dead. He took his small flashlight and clicked it a few times to the officers above.

"Okay he's alive," one of them breathed. "We gotta find a safe way down. We need the Fire Department now!"

"Just hang on sir!" One of them called out. "We'll have you out in no time."

Shane felt a sharp twinge in his ankle and shone his light to reveal a badly bruised bone and he guessed something broken. There was a large cut on his leg he quickly worked to seal. "Damn!" He cursed into the darkness around him. Shane always prided himself on being able to handle tense, life-threatening situations with a calm and cool head. But with his broken foot and the smell of his blood drawing the rodents to him; he feared help wouldn't get their soon enough. All he could do was wait and pray it wouldn't take too long.

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed pushed the van faster towards his waiting prey; his heart racing fast at the thought of her slow death at his hands; a just punishment he reasoned for all the pain she had put him through.

_'But…I'm…' Dean Richardson's tormented voice begged as he slowly died._

_'I HATE YOU! YOU TOOK AWAY MY LIFE!'_

_'I…' and that was it…death had won…another innocent life taken to the darkness from whence it came._

All Creed ever wanted was a normal life with a loving mother and a loving father; a family he could be proud of; a career he could brag about and a wife he could show off. Instead he had forced himself into a miserable fortress of deception and lies. He had faked his hand being cut off to escape prison time in the heartland and had picked up Jade's trail a year ago. Her engagement to Steve Sloan and the events leading up to that had landed him another addiction to painkillers and Whiskey; a rather fortuitous future he surmised instead of the prison racket he was promised.

His fingers gripped the steering wheel even tighter as his brain then focused on the newspaper articles about Carmen's grisly death.

"You will pay Jade Marshall. The same way you made Carmen pay."

**XXXXXXXX**

The LAPD officer pulled up the front of Mark's house and studied the outside. All looked to be in order. However, being on the force for many years had taught him to not always take things at first glance. He would do a perimeter sweep and _then_ call in with the status.

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed neared the entrance to the secret tunnel when he noticed a group of rather nervous looking police officers hovering around.

"Damn them!" He cursed angrily, quickly turning the van before he was spotted. He was sure that Jade was still safely trapped away but couldn't afford to take any chances with her being found alive. If that did happen then he knew she'd never rest until she took down the man who murdered Steve Sloan. Creed parked the van in an abandoned garage and started back to his lair on foot. Thankfully the building had a few _other_ secret openings, which would afford him the opportunity to kill her and then disappear into the darkness that bourn him.

Or so he planned.

**XXXXXXXX**

Officer Jake Denham, a seasoned police officer with the LAPD, had seen many a grim sight in his numerous years on the force, but when he rounded the back corner of the Sloan house and gazed into Steve's entrance, he turned and almost threw up.

He quickly drew his gun, turned back and tried not to get sick at the sight before him. Reaching for his radio he quickly called it in.

"And you better hurry boys," he noted, looking at Steve's severely beaten frame. "This one looks bad."

**XXXXXXXX**

"Hey Mark, I…" Jesse started as he walked into Mark's office as Mark was getting the call about Steve.

"Oh no…" Mark whispered as he almost felt faint. He looked at Jesse with the colour drained from his face. "They…they found Steve. He's…he's in pretty bad shape," Mark continued in a numb tone. "They…Jesse they don't know if he'll live."

"I'll prep a trauma room," Jesse told Mark as he turned and raced out of the senior doctor's office. Mark sank to his chair and tried to erase the terrible but brief details he was given by officer Denham.

_"We found your son Dr. Sloan. He's in really bad shape. He's still bound so it looks like someone took a 2x4 or a piece of iron while he was incapacitated and went to town…sorry…he looks pretty bad…I'm…I'm really sorry…"_

"Steve…" Mark whispered in torment as he finally hung his head and gave way to tears.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Just hang in there son," Officer Denham sighed as he quickly bent down and felt Steve's pulse while he gently started to untie him. The pulse was still there, although it was very faint. "Boy someone must _hate_ you," he commented as he looked around the practically demolished room Steve was still laying in.

Within minutes, the paramedics had arrived and Officer Denham was escorting them to Community General where a team of skilled doctors, including Steve's friend Jesse Travis would be waiting to administer the best medical care they could.

Office Denham noticed Mark's look of sick and worry and immediately walked up to him. "Dr. Sloan?"

"Officer Denham I can't thank you enough," Mark replied through misty eyes as he watched Steve being frantically wheeled into the ER by Jesse. "If you hadn't checked…"

"I'm glad I did," Denham frowned as he slowly followed Mark to a bench outside the ER. "Someone sure hates him though to do all that."

"Well the body…"

"Well I mean about his place too. I don't know if there was one thing in there that wasn't smashed to bits," Denham explained.

Mark felt his stomach tighten even further and wanted to scream in frustration. "His fiancé is missing also…now when I see this…"

"Gosh hope no woman has to survive that kind of beating," Denham lightly cursed. "Do you know who did this?"

"A madman…a madman from the past bent on revenge," Mark stated angrily.

"Well I'd offer whatever help I can," Denham explained.

"Officer Denham," Mark started slowly. "Do you pray?"

**XXXXXXXX**

Shane heard the footsteps in the distance, but reasoned they were too structured to be that of a rodent. "He's…here…" Shane whispered into the darkness around him. He knew if Jade's captor found him in the predicament he was in, he'd kill him for sure. He had to move himself into a better hiding place; the problem was every time he moved, his body shot forth pains that kept him in his place.

Shane took a deep breath, put his hands below him and pushed up. He let out a small cry; holding most of it in so he wouldn't be discovered and was able to bend his good leg under himself and push upwards. He hoped with the cops hovering around at the surface whoever they were after would see that and avoid the spot he had fallen.

But injured or not, he had to find his partner; he feared her very life depended on it.

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade almost had the tape worked loose from her feet when she heard angry footsteps starting to approach; her heart started to beat even faster, causing sweat beads to fall into the corners of her eyes and sting them. She heard the door open and then rough hands start to drag her back into the darkness.

She yelled into the gag which only elicited evil laughter from her captor.

"No one can hear you and no one is coming to help you!" Creed spat angrily as he dragged her into another locked room and sealed the door behind them. He flipped on a light switch and then dragged Jade over to a small makeshift cot and fairly dumped her onto it.

She seethed at him in anger, which only caused him to backhand her across the face.

"I so want to hate you!" Creed yelled in anger.

Jade's eyes fixed on the young man she had spoken too earlier and then her expression turned to a frown.

"Wondering why? Why I hate you! Do you even know who the hell I am!" Creed continued his yelling tirade. "Why don't you ask me about Steve Sloan! He's dead! I killed him!"

Jade's feet immediately came up and kicked at Creed, sending him crashing backwards onto the floor. However, he was back up on his feet and after landing a harsh blow to her midsection had tossed her back onto the bed.

"I hate you!" Creed yelled as he ripped the tape from her bruised mouth.

"Who are you!" Jade shot back in anger.

Creed turned on another light and glared are her in anger. He turned his back and when he turned around to face her for the last time, he had a large shiny buck knife in his hand and a small chair in the other.

"I am going to kill you Jade Marshall. You killed my mother and my father!"

Jade studied the hate filled face before her with wonder. "Who…who are…"

"I am the _only son _of Carmen Parks and Dean Richardson!"

"WHAT! Not possible."

"Really? Well that saint that you were engaged to liked to have really rough sex with my mother a lot! She told me! She loved him and he loved her! He didn't love you!"

"Carmen killed him!" Jade shouted back.

"I killed him!" Creed countered.

Jade looked at him stunned. "No…no…y-you…"

"I what? Couldn't? I did!" Creed spat. "I warned him when he started to date you. But it wasn't until he actually proposed that I knew he really wanted to abandon us!"

"No…" Jade shook her head in sorrow. "Not possible."

"He abandoned us for you! So I made him pay. My mother so overcome with grief started a vendetta against you. You killed her! Now I kill you and the circle is even!"

"But she…"

"She couldn't…" Creed spat angrily. "In the end I had to take care of our family. AND I DID!"

**XXXXXXXX**

"Carl, are you sure?" Nickel asked in shock. "Carmen's and Dean's _son_?"

"Sorry sir, but it's true," the trusted agent told his superior. "I already informed both Melvin and Dr. Sloan. And sorry…no word on…" Carl stopped as the phone rang.

"Nick? You got a minute?" Melvin asked quickly.

"Have they been found?" Nickel asked in haste.

"Steve was found in very bad condition. Looks like someone took a lead pipe to him while he was tied up. He's in intensive right now and they don't know if he'll make it. Jade is still missing and Shane has just fallen down a strange shaft below a building both Steve and Jade disappeared in. I give you my word Nick; if they are there we'll find them."

Nickel hung up the phone and looked at Carl in misery. "How could we have overlooked that?"

"Nothing matched the DNA strand when Dean's body was found. Creed Williams, however, just had a blood test and…well I know it was classified but…sir what does this mean?"

"It means we failed!" Nickel hissed, staring out the window in anger. "I want this to end Carl. It ends with Creed…"

"No matter what the cost?"

Nickel turned back to his friend and frowned. "I think we have all paid the price on this one."

**XXXXXXXX**

Amanda reached the area that Shane had fallen into and rushed up to one of the officers. "Who is the medical help around here?" She asked casually.

"Ma'am they are on their…" one of the officers started.

"Is Shane Phillips down there?" Amanda asked looking down into the dark hole.

"Yes but…" one of them started and then grabbed her arm as she was about to take a step on towards the precariously hanging rope ladder. "You can't go down there. Will one of you stop h…"

"That is the man I love down there and he's injured. I don't see any paramedics here yet to help so I am going down there."

One of the officers looked and her and shook his head no way. "We can't risk it ma'am. Now the fire department just arrived and…" he was cut off my Amanda turning and rushing over to the fire chief.

"Chief Sturges?"

"Yes?" The older man replied with a kind smile.

"I am coming with you."

"Where to Ma'am?"

"Down into the abyss."

**XXXXXXXX**

Shane heard more commotion overhead and assumed the fire department had finally arrived to help lift him out of the abyss as one of the officers overhead had called it now. But when he heard more faint screams he knew he had to help Jade. He had painfully pushed himself up to a standing position and found a long stick to help brace his injured leg on.

With the first of many painful steps to come, he readied his gun in one hand and then set off in the directions of the screams. His eyes had finally adjusted to the dimly lit surroundings he was in but the faint sounds of rats and whatever else was sleeping in the dark, made his heart beat faster.

"Hold on Jade…" he whispered into the dark. "I'm coming…"

**XXXXXXXX**

"Oh but before I do…" Creed laughed as he pulled out a small video recorder and set it down on the bed beside Jade. "Want to spend your last few minutes with Steve?"

"What have you…WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Jade yelled in anger only to receive a hard backhand to the mouth.

"Just watch!" Creed yelled back. Jade assumed that perhaps Creed had kidnapped Steve and had him stashed and so she'd be able to see him trapped someplace and then work to figure out where he was. Sadly her brain wasn't prepared for the horrible images she next saw.

"No…" she whispered in torment, her eyes watering immediately as she gazed upon Steve's bound and gagged body being beaten by Creed with a heavy piece of pipe and then wood. When it finally went still she felt her world collapse.

"Steve…" she lightly cried, her brain feeling anguish for the images she was watching and the other part of her brain seething hatred and revenge towards the man who now held her captive.

"Didn't even put up much of a fight," Creed mentioned offhandedly, lightly laughing. "I mean at least he could have said stop."

"I'll kill you…" Jade breathed in contempt.

"What?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Jade shouted as she brought her feet up and kicked at Creed. She was able to break the tape but Creed, who still had the knife in his hand slashed at her while she lunged and opened up a ribbon of flesh on her mid-section.

Jade fell back onto the bed in searing pain. "Ohhhh…" she wailed as her eyes started to water once more. She lay on her side breathing hard when Creed jumped on her and raised his knife. He brought it down hard into her shoulder; causing her to scream in pain.

**XXXXXXXX**

The wait for Jesse to come out of the ER took what it seemed like a painful eternity to pass. But when Mark looked up and saw Jesse walking towards him he felt his heart start to quicken again.

"Jesse?" Mark asked quickly.

"He's still in the ICU," Jesse sighed. "Mark he…he lost a lot of blood and has a massive swell on his brain from…"

"From what Jesse?" Mark dared to ask.

"Well he was beaten very badly," Jesse replied in a somber tone. "His vitals are weak but holding. He did flat-line on us once. He has a puncture lung and damaged spleen. I guess…Mark I was told he was…well unable to defend himself."

Mark looked past Jesse into the ER and felt his eyes start to water. "I have to see him."

"Of course."

"I just don't know if I have the strength to walk there on my own."

"Come on let's go," Jesse encouraged, giving Mark's arm a gentle squeeze. In a matter of seconds they were past the swinging ER doors and a few steps from the ICU.

"Son…" Mark breathed in horror as he gazed upon Steve's tormented body hooked up to a variety of live saving machines. He quickly pulled up a chair, gently took Steve's hand, bowed his head and for the first time in a long time, offered up a prayer for help.

However, it was to be short lived. In a matter of minutes the whole room was filled with the frantic sounds of angry hospital equipment. All sounding out the warning that a life was quickly being lost.

Mark looked at Steve's body which sort of jerked for a brief second, his face screwing in pain. He looked up at Jesse and frowned heavily. "What's going on?"

"He's going into cardiac arrest!"

Mark closed his eyes and was immediately flashed a picture of Jade. "This is the end…" he whispered in anguish.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Jade!" Shane called out frantically at hearing his partner's screams once again. He took another painful step towards what he thought was the room she was being held in.

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade lay on her side breathing hard. Creed had yanked her body onto the floor and landed a hard kick to her now bleeding mid-section. "Steve…" she lightly coughed through ragged breaths. The last hour felt like a painful eternity. Jade had tried to focus her mind on Steve when Creed started his ramblings about Dean and Carmen. But all her mind showed her was Steve lying motionless and Creed laughing. "Steve…" she whispered again.

"Don't you mean _Dean_!" Creed shouted as he landed another slash to her thigh.

"Steve…help…me…" she wheezed painfully.

Creed stopped his merciless tirade and then stopped; still cradling her legs he looked down at her in hateful contempt. "Time to die…" he shouted as he raised his knife.

"NO!" Jade shouted in horror as she felt what she believed was the final death blow.

**XXXXXXXX**

Mark looked at Steve's heart rate which started to climb rapidly. "Jesse!" Mark exclaimed, jumping up in concern. "What is it?"

"Jade…" Mark breathed in horror looking up at Jesse. "She's dying too…"

"We're losing him!" Jesse shouted to his trauma team that raced to his aide.

And as Mark watched his son start to lose the battle to death; his mind hearing the screams of his future daughter in law calling for help before she too was silenced; he wondered if hell was already waiting for them with open arms.


	7. Two Future's Connect

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 7 – Two Future's Connect**

Amanda heard Shane's shouts as she very carefully made her way down the ladder after the two fire fighters that were going in after Shane.

"We have to hurry," she stated in a panic.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Jade!" Shane called out in a panic as he took another step towards the narrow tunnel.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Fight son!" Mark called out as Jesse worked to revive a once again flat-lined Steve Sloan. "You have to fight!"

**XXXXXXXX**

"Steve…" Jade whispered as the blackness started to overtake her life force.

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed opened the small door and finally let his ears rest upon the faint sounds that were slowly but steadily drawing closer. The sound of his future rapidly closing in around him.

"Damn you all!" Creed hissed. He looked back at a now still Jade, spat on her and then closed the door, sealing her in her bloody tomb. However, he failed to notice the small smattering of blood on his shoe that would leave a footprint outside the door; telling one partner where to find the other.

**XXXXXXXX**

Mark breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his son's heart beat finally start to rise again and then even out. "That's it Steve…" Mark coached as his son's heart rate started to calm down. Mark looked at Jesse's team, uttered a thank you and then looked back down at Steve.

A few minutes later, when Steve was once again back in the ICU Mark looked up to see Steve's eyes slightly flutter. Mark now feared if Steve worried that Jade was in trouble or even dying then he might plunge back into medical despair. He hated to lie but knew it was the only way to keep Steve fighting.

Thankfully Steve didn't fully regain consciousness but closed his eyes and started to allow the ventilator to gently pump much needed fresh oxygen into his damaged lungs.

"Hurry Shane…you have to find her in time…" Mark whispered in anguish.

**XXXXXXXX**

Shane took another step towards the sounds but when he rounded the corner he laid eyes on man running away from him.

"STOP!" Shane shouted as he fired off a shot.

"Damn!" Creed cursed as he felt the bullet graze his side.

"Oh no!" Amanda gasped as she reached the bottom. She grabbed one of the fire fighters flashlights and pushed past them in her hopes of getting to Shane on time.

"Hey!" One of them shouted as they quickly rushed after her. "Come back here lady!"

"Jade!" Shane called in a panic. "Where are you!"

"Shane!" Amanda shouted into the black.

Shane turned in shock at hearing the voice of someone he never thought he would in this situation. "Amanda?" He called out in surprise.

"Wait for us!"

"We have to find Jade!" Shane yelled as he watched her and two large men round the corner at top speed. In seconds she had her arms wrapped around him and was checking his foot.

"We need to check every door!" He ordered the fire fighters.

Amanda looked at his foot and frowned. "What were you thinking? Moving on this kind of injury?"

"Well I really didn't feel like being eaten by the rat population," he sighed. "Is it bad?"

"Well it's fractured but the bone hasn't broken through the skin…that's good."

"Sir we'll…"

"Start with all the locked doors first," Shane ordered.

"Or that one…" Amanda mentioned as she spied the bloody footprint outside a certain door.

"Hurry!" Shane barked in frustration. "Jade hold on!"

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade felt her world rapidly fading into oblivion. The searing pain was so intense in some areas her brain had simply shut them down. Her heart rate had slowed and her limbs were starting to go tingly. Her bruised arms were still bound behind her back and her cruel captor had gagged her bloody mouth so she was unable to call for help.

She tried to focus her mind on Steve's smiling face but instead was only shown images of his brutal beating at the hands of….Dean's son? That thought made her body convulse. Her eyes started to water and soon breathing through a stuffed nose was even more trial some than before.

Her brain tried to focus on the faint calls of Shane's voice but the pain made it unbearable to try to help out in any way. She had to stay put.

**XXXXXXXX**

"On three!" The lead fire fighter called out as two more had joined them. Amanda continued to tend to Shane as the team of paramedics made their way down to them. Amanda felt Shane slightly jump as the large battering object hit the heavy metal door and offered in return a resounding clang.

Jade's body jerked instinctively awake with the jarring sound and her watery eyes tried to focus on the small sliver of light breathing a small gleam of hope into her dark tomb.

_Shane please hurry…her mind begged in agony._

"AGAIN!"

The door was hit again and it seemed to make a dent but not much of one. Shane stared nervously at the door and wondered in fear why his partner hadn't at least tried to make contact. "Jade…"

"Shane I'm sure she's…" Amanda started.

"Amanda if she were okay she'd be helping," Shane reminded her in a panic. "We have to hurry."

"AGAIN!" Was the call. This time the door actually moved. Now spurred on with renewed vigor the four large men hit the door with all the strength they had…it moved again.

"Jade, hang on!" Shane called into the few inches of darkness.

Jade tried to keep herself in reality but just as the final blow was delivered to the door and the room was bathed in light and dank smelling odors she passed once again into darkness.

"Jade!" Amanda shouted as she ran into the room and knelt at her new friend's side. "Help me! She's not breathing."

Shane peered in after the paramedics and gasped at the state of his partner. He watched the three of them quickly unbind her and then start to administer CPR.

And in the hollow cement tunnel, in the dank smelling tomb the only sounds heard was the counting to 30 and administration of two life breaths. The silent prayers of all were for only one set of privileged ears.

Finally…the sound they had all been waiting for was heard – faintly.

Jade felt a surge of adrenaline finally flood her senses and she offered up a small breath. She spat forth small bloody bubbles, but at least she still showed them all a fighting chance.

"Yes!" Amanda lightly cried as she brushed the tears away and continued to work on bandaging up the most dangerous cuts. But she wasn't out of the woods yet. The paramedics finally were able to secure her to a bed so the fire team could then start the dangerous task of transporting her back to the surface.

Shane called up the LAPD officers and had them put out an arrest warrant for Creed Williams aka Creed Richardson aka Creed Banks. He cursed the fact that Creed had escaped but vowed he would bring him to justice no matter what.

Amanda waited with Shane until Jade was finally lifted to the surface ground and then rushed to a waiting ambulance and whisked away to Mark and Jesse.

**XXXXXXXX**

Nickel hung up the phone and let his head fall to his hands while he offered a light sob of relief. Jade was found alive – in rough condition but there was still a chance she could be saved. He knew Mark's reputation and staked his own life that he could help save his little girl and her future happiness.

"Sir?" Carl asked gently as he knocked on the Director's door. "I heard that Creed Richardson escaped. We know he won't try to run the border or take a flight as those will be watched and he knows that."

"And?" Nickel urged his most trusted agent.

"Well I think I know where he might be headed," Carl stated as he handed him a piece of paper.

Nickel looked at the information and then back up at Carl. "I am on the next flight to LA. NOW!"

"I'll call Melvin and get him to meet you at LAX. Tell him to get on this and now!"

**XXXXXXXX**

Amanda looked at Shane in the ride to the hospital and could tell his mind was on other things – the case at hand being foremost. But inside her mind that letter was still plaguing her thoughts.

"She'll be okay," Amanda mentioned; snapping Shane's attention back to her.

"I know," Shane huffed. "I am more pissed at myself for letting Creed get away. Thankfully we put out the calls for road blocks and airport checks and stuff but I fear we lost him and…and that doesn't bode well for Steve and Jade."

"You did your best," she smiled; taking his hand and gently squeezing it. "Shane I…" Amanda started, unable to contain her morbid curiosity.

"You know…" he interrupted. "I just want to say this before I forget," he lightly smiled. "Amanda I have never been with one woman or come to love one woman as much I do you," he smiled slowly. "However," his face turned to a frown. "Well I have to tell you something that…" he started only to be interrupted by one of the medics in the front of the ambulance.

"Sir I have an urgent call from the Director of the FBI."

"Right…" Shane frowned, Amanda cursing the bad timing inside. She slowly leaned back onto the side of the ambulance and sighed. Was he going to tell me? She wondered inside. If so then there was hope for them. If he decided to keep it to himself, why? Shame? Uncertainty? Community General was only minutes away and she feared the closer they got the further her future slipped away.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Hang on Jade," Mark whispered softly as he helped Jesse operate on her wounds. "Goodness she's in bad shape."

"Steve pulled through," Jesse stated.

"But Jade…her vitals keep failing," Mark replied in a frustrated tone. He knew they couldn't give up but keep going. His son's future happiness depended on the things he did in the next few precious seconds.

"I'm going to call…" Mark called out as he rushed out of the ER with Jade's New York doctor in his hands. He spied Shane being wheeled in and stopped short. "I hope you are okay."

"Just a broken foot," Shane sighed. "How is Jade?"

"Still failing I'm afraid," Mark frowned. "I was going to call her doctor in New York and get a history. She…"

"Mark, she thinks Steve's dead," Shane interrupted.

"What? How?"

"I'm pretty sure she was shown a tape of Steve being beaten and then laying still, we found it in the place we found Jade," Shane informed him. "If she thinks he's dead, and after all this, she'll give up. You know that."

"You have to tell her that Steve is okay, she can hear you," Amanda urged.

Mark didn't hesitate to listen to his friend as he turned on his heel and rushed back to Jesse's side. "Jade…" Mark started, taking her hand and gently holding it in hers. He looked down at the engagement ring; shining even through the dirt, and smiled warmly. "Jade, Steve is alive and okay. You have to pull through…"

Jesse looked at Mark with a frown. "Mark I'm sure she…"

"Jesse she was shown evidence to the contrary…Jade…" he said looking back down at her. "Jade if you can hear me you have to fight. Fight!" Mark stated firmly, unaware that Amanda had quietly wheeled Shane into the ER and was waiting a few feet away.

"Mark, she…" Jesse started and then stopped. "You did it!" He looked up at his friend with a large smile as Jade's vitals immediately started to climb; slowly but they were climbing.

"Wow talk about two people joined together…" Shane commented softly.

"That's my girl," Mark remarked proudly. "We can't lose you."

**XXXXXXXX**

_Jade's mind heard Mark's words that Steve was okay. Up until now she had pondered life without him and her inner grief was rapidly killing her – showing her a world empty and devoid of love and happiness. She knew she'd never survive another painful loss of a fiancé and had even doubted if she'd want to try again. _

_But Steve was alive – that's all that mattered. She'd be okay now – they'd both be._

**XXXXXXXX**

"Okay so everyone lived what's wrong?" Amanda asked quickly, as she waited for Shane's foot to be tended to.

"Creed is still out there," Shane remarked; cursing at the end. "If they…if they can only find him in time."

"They? Who are they?"

"The powers that be Amanda…this now ends with them."

**XXXXXXXX**

"I know Jade will be pretty pissed that isn't her who gets to finish him off…but…" Nickel remarked to Melvin a few hours later, as the two Directors' sped into the setting sun, a trail of FBI issue sedans in tow.

"I can't take the chance to just…wait a second…we are going to arrest him right?" Melvin countered.

"Uh yeah right."

"Nick don't even think about taking the Dirty Harry routine. You know the "go ahead make my day"…"

"Mel this man almost took away everything I hold dear in life – without a moment's notice…"

"What are you asking of me my old friend?"

"When the time comes, turn away…that's it…" Nickel half begged. "Just turn away."

"You know I can't…"

"Yes you can!" Nickel shot back. "Just look away…that's it…"

"And if I get to him first?"

"Use your discretion."

"I always was the better shot," Melvin snided.

"Nice try."

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed nervously paced the small living room in the cabin that Steve and Carmen spent their first fateful weekend way together. The spot Jade had killed his mother and the same area that molded his now bleak future. "I have to formulate my next move…have to finish them off…"

He glanced at a picture of his mother, until he could almost picture her in front of him.

_'Son, your father is leaving us. He's not in love with me anymore.'  
__'But why?_ _We still love him. I do miss him coming around.'  
__'He's a good for nothing man, and he wants my lowly sister!'  
__'What? But why? Does she know about us?'  
__'Yes,' Carmen lied to her son. 'And she wants to take him away from us. Can we let that happen?'  
__'No mother…what can we do?'  
__'We have to make them pay!'  
__'Is she rich?'  
__'Not that way you fool! I mean for good! Get rid of…'  
__'She's your sister…do you mean you'll…'  
__'Dean said he'd love me forever, even in death. He hurt me Creed. Hurt us both,' Carmen faked her anguish. 'He humiliated me…LIED TO ME! I HATE HIM!'  
__'I HATE HIM TOO! Tell me what to do mother…how can I make you happy again?'  
__'Kill him…kill him and send it to her…'  
__'But…'  
__'Son I love you. You are my world. I…I can't…nothing will happen to you. You have to take care of us now. Please…' Carmen's twisted reasoning continued. _

And it was in the days that followed that Creed Richardson's mind became twisted beyond that of normal reasoning. A once normal, balanced young man was replaced with a murderous entity; one that didn't care of the actions that he carried out in the immediate days. He took a life – his father's – with such ease that he forced himself to become something he always hated. Sadly though, he didn't look back. And now fate had caught up – it was time to pay.

"NEVER!" He shouted in to the dimly lit room he was sitting in. "I'LL NEVER BE SORRY!"

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE! I HATE YOU JADE!"

**XXXXXXXX**

It was well into the night when Jade was finally able to breathe on her own and was being wheeled into the same ICU room as Steve. The beating she had sustained wasn't done with a heavy object; more with an angry knife full of hateful vengeance.

"Well the stomach puncture is sealed and puncture to the appendix cleaned up nicely," Mark told Amanda and Shane. "Her lungs did fill with fluid but we were able to drain everything and get her breathing on her own – for now. The other stab wounds were cleaned and stitched up. But he…well he cut her up pretty badly. It will take at least a few months for all those scars to even start to fade."

"One beaten nearly to death and the other stabbed nearly to death," Amanda remarked. "I just still can't believe it."

"Mark, Jesse I can't thank you both enough," Shane thanked Mark, extending his hand in kindness to the senior physician first and then the younger one. "Chloe is on her way here right now, you can fill her in if you'd like. I have a few things to tend to."

"Need some help?" Amanda volunteered.

"See you tomorrow," Shane said to them as he grabbed his nearby walking cane and slowly headed out of the ICU area. "I need to tend to some paperwork. Why don't you go and pick up CJ and…"

"I know," Amanda said to Shane, stopping him in his tracks.

"Know what?"

"The letter…what you didn't want to tell me," Amanda stated in a soft tone. "Where you going to leave?"

"Was thinking about it," Shane resigned as he sat down on a nearby bench. "Sorry."

**XXXXXXXX**

Finally Steve opened his eyes wide for the first time in hours. The tubing felt strange in his nose, but he was sure if his dad hooked him up to fresh oxygen it was needed. His headed pounded and his body throbbed and it hurt to even blink – but he was alive. It was a miracle. His heart immediately started to race when he thought about Jade, still missing but as he shifted his groggy gaze around the room his eyes rested on the figure in a bed beside him. It was Jade, she was alive.

At the same time, Jade's eyes slowly fluttered open and she too cast her gaze about the room she was in and wondered where Steve was.

"Hey…" came a soft croak.

Jade turned her eyes to fix on Steve and despite causing her lip to lightly break open again she smiled warmly; her eyes tearing instantly. "I thought…I lost…you…" she lightly whispered.

"Not a…chance…" Steve whispered back. "I love you…"

"I love you too," Jade replied.

"You still…owe me…a honeymoon…" Steve reminded her.

"Okay," Jade agreed before both succumbed once again to the drugs and were taken back into the darkness of sleep. When Chloe arrived she remarked how Jesse locked their hands together for comfort.

"I didn't do that," Jesse stated with a frown. "I guess they did."

Chloe turned back to her daughter and smiled warmly. "They really are meant to be together." She looked at Steve and frowned to herself. She knew her daughter and that if it was in deed Dean's son from the past who tried to kill them both; her trust might be broken once again. She had to urge her daughter to get through this pain with Steve – not on her own like she was used to. If she didn't Steve would be a part of her history not her future. And that couldn't happen.

**XXXXXXXX**

"I want no lights and no sirens," Nickel hissed into his radio. "If anyone loses this guy they'll answer to Melvin Baker."

"_Thanks_," Melvin remarked dryly.

"You hit better than I can," Nickel smiled. "Okay let's stop here and go the rest on foot."

"Carl better be right about this cabin…"

**XXXXXXXX**

For the past few hours he had been reveling in his own misery – cursing his existence and trying to kill what few brain cells he had left with whatever alcoholic beverage he could find all the while trying to formulate his plan to get back to Jade and Steve and finish them for good.

Creed gazed upon the picture of Steve and Jade he had stolen then grabbed it angrily and flung it across the room; shattering the picture into tiny pieces. He was unaware of the gathering group of officers slowly making their way to his new hideout, but he had reactivated some of Carmen's old warning devices and so was alerted when one was tripped.

His brain should have told him to flee the country any way he could, but the vengeful part of him won out so that he could only fix his sights on one place – Community General. He loaded both of his automatic weapons and vowed he would kill anyone who crossed his path and wouldn't stop until both Steve Sloan and Jade Marshall were dead.

**Just a few more chappies to go! Hope you all still like and will leave a review. thanks in advance!AiP**


	8. One Destiny Created

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 8 – One Destiny Created…**

Jade lay in bed in miserable torment, silent tears still streaming down her cheeks. How could Dean have lied to her about him and Carmen? Was Creed telling the truth? Or was he just a sick and twisted individual with his own selfish plan? Was Carmen really the killer they thought or just a pawn used by her son? Did she murder her sister or did she stop a murderer? Or was it the other way round? Was she the monster she had fought so hard to get away from.

Chloe noticed her daughter's eyes moving and the tears falling and was quickly at her side with a soft cloth.

"Shhh my baby girl you need to rest," Chloe gently urged. "You need your rest for the wedding."

"There isn't going to be one," Jade whispered in torment. "There can't be now…I'm sorry."

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed stealthily stumbled out the hidden trap door in the floor and into the cold, damp cellar. He blindly felt his way towards the small door that was allowing cold air to enter and was soon once again enveloped by the darkness of night as he crept towards his waiting dirt bike. It would be faster than the van. He found the bike and started pushing it towards the road; for once the bike started the chase would be on and his time would be short. His adrenaline was pumping so hard that his brain failed to hear the small voice pleading with any shred of sanity left to give up this useless fight and go back into hiding; retreat to fight another day. That voice…it would never be heard from again.

"I _will die_ today…" he vowed into the air. "But I won't be alone!"

**XXXXXXXX**

Amanda wasted no time in rushing outside and getting into the nearest waiting cab. She hastily barked out Shane's address and told the drive to step on it. Her mind raced with thoughts about why Shane thought he needed to leave.

"What _else_ isn't he telling me?" She wondered out loud; her eyes darting from cab to cab as they zoomed down Zenith Avenue.

Shane arrived at his apartment; mentally and physically drained. He left a message with Melvin's secretary, stating he was taking a few days and would see Jade and Steve again soon. He hobbled around his place until a small bag was packed and then headed for his front door. He pulled it open only to see Amanda walk up to it at the same time.

"Amanda…"

"Shane!"

"What are you doing here?" Shane asked in haste.

"I know about the letter?"

"What? How…" he wondered.

"You left it in the jacket pocket you left at my place and CJ pulled it out and handed it to me. I thought it was for me but…"

"You read it then?" Shane asked in torment.

"Why are you running away?"

"Amanda I know what you want," Shane sighed as he gently put down his small suitcase. "And I can't offer that to you."

"Just because you were adopted?"

"Amanda I…" he said turning around with a huff. "That and the fact that my father is now a convicted murderer and awaiting execution."

"_Adopted father only_. I'm sure your biological father is/was a great guy like you are," Amanda explained with a smile.

Shane, however, not listening just continued. "There is a reason I never married or had kids," he started to explain; turning back to her with torment in his deep blue eyes.

"I don't care if you didn't have…"

"You don't understand!" Shane shot back.

"Then make me," Amanda pleaded. "Please…make me know what is bothering you. What are you running from? Me? Us? Do you not want to be with me anymore?" She dared to ask.

"Of course I do," he replied with a faint smile. "It's just that…Amanda they did…well things…and…" he turned away again in shame. "I can't tell you. All my life I have prided myself on being strong and tough and forgetting the things I was subjected to…even Jade doesn't know and…and I share everything with her…"

"Until now," Amanda stated softly, as she walked up to him and gently turned his face toward hers. "When I first met you I thought you were the kinda good looking guy who flirts with everything he sees and has a flavor of the week. I was wrong; you showed met he real you – only _me._ I have come to love the real you…I don't think you shared all things you have with me with others, have you?"

"No," Shane simply answered.

"Then tell me…"

Shane let out a small huff and looked back into her loving eyes; so full of hope and trust, how he could he turn away now? "Okay…" he said with a faint smile and a growing frown. "I was adopted at a young age. I was raised by a family that seemed nice but…well my adopted father he…Amanda he was abusive and…oh gosh…" he turned away in haste. "Amanda he didn't…" he turned back. "Well it wasn't sexual thank goodness but he was rough. I learned to defend myself but…"

Amanda gently guided his chin back to her face. "And you think that since you were hit as a kid and most kids turn out like their parents that you'll be mean to CJ and me?"

"Amanda I would never live with myself if I hurt you or CJ in any way," Shane stated in anguish. "I would rather die first than betray your trust or CJ's love."

"But you haven't…"

"I haven't been around the two of you enough on a daily basis…_in a family role_," Shane confessed. "And the more we are together the more I worry and…and I guess the letter about my younger brother's and mother's death at his hands and his subsequent incarceration…was just another reminder of what I could become."

Amanda pulled him close and gave him a gentle hug, his body wrapping around hers like it was meant to. "CJ and I trust you with our lives," she whispered softly into his ear. "I won't let you leave."

Shane closed his eyes and held her close. "I love you Amanda…help me love you back."

**XXXXXXXX**

"CREED WILLIAMS!" Nickel shouted as he pounded on the door. He was about to have the door forced open when they heard the faint sound of a dirt bike starting up in the distance and then taking off.

"Damn it!" Nickel cursed as he looked at Milton with a frown. "He knew we were coming!"

"Any idea where he is headed?" One of the officers asked.

"Yes!" Both Directors' answered at once; taking off in a running sprint towards their cars. Once in pursuit Nickel called Mark and warned him; then he called the local FBI office and had them set up a blockade around Community General.

"What?" Mark said in a panic as he looked up at Chloe with fear.

"What is it? Has something happened to Nickel?" She asked in dread.

"Creed Williams is on his way here," Mark explained as he rushed up to Jesse. "We need them moved and now!"

"But…"

"Jesse now…and we need to get everyone out of here as fast as we can! I have a feeling he's going to go down in a blaze of glory taking as many of us as he can."

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed's eyes filled with angry tears as he pushed his bike closer and closer to Community General.

His tormented mind played warped pictures of himself and his mother and their "un-natural" relationship. He always blamed her for the way he grew up; cursing his father for keeping him hidden his whole life; and then when he needed his parents most, they abandoned him. His hatred for Dean Richardson grew long before he met Jade – Jade was just the one person who seemed to push Dean over the sanity edge. He had visited his father on several occasions while he dated Jade, but to no avail, his father didn't want anything to do with him or his mother.

A part of him had wished he had told Jade Marshall right from the start what kind of man she was getting involved with but he didn't and now she had to pay. Pay for her insolence and lack of vision in choosing a life partner in his now dead, no good father. He knew she was innocent when it came to Dean but he could never forgive her for the death of his mother. That she still needed to be held accountable for.

"They…will…pay…" he kept muttering over and over again in a hateful vendetta. "I will avenge you mother – I PROMISE!"

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade's mind played twisted images of her and Dean together; Dean being killed by Creed; Creed killing Steve and then her own demise at Carmen's hands. She would pull herself from her drugged stupor but never fully regained consciousness.

"Not possible…" she mumbled over and over again at the thought that Dean kept hidden all those years his son and his connection to her half sister. How could she have been so blind? How could she have trusted Dean so blindly? And now what about Steve? Was he also hiding a past that would come back with murderous intent?

Chloe looked up from her book and frowned as her daughter's monitors started to kick into high gear. "What's happening?" She asked Mark frantically.

"Jade you just need to rest," Mark said calmly, trying to get Jade's watery eyes to focus on him. "She is just probably reliving a few recent nightmares," he frowned. "She'll be okay. As long as nothing drops drastically; she will recover."

"I just can't believe this Creed person is Dean's son," Chloe whispered sadly as her and Mark stepped back from Jade's bed.

"Was there anything suspicious about Dean when you met him?" Mark dared to ask.

"I guess the way he would so blatantly deny Carmen," Chloe started. "Carmen was attractive and charming and most men would fall for her flirtatious nature, but not Dean. In fact Dean was so against Carmen that…"

"That he'd do anything to escape her and what they created together," Mark finished in a huff.

"That's what Nickel and I surmised on the plane ride over. But why Jade? I mean why Carmen's sister? He knew…he knew they were half sisters. Would he not want to be removed from the family as quickly as possible?"

"Unless he wanted to know if Jade was different, or if he could save her in some way – if he thought she needed saving."

"Jade has dated many men but has only been serious about two of them; thankfully one of them is still here and in love with her," Chloe continued absently.

"But…oh I hear a but in there somewhere…" Mark lightly smiled.

"But I fear that whatever Creed confessed to her and coupled with the new information that Dean was lying to her all that time will shatter her trust in future happiness. I only hope Steve is prepared to fight for her love."

"Oh you'd be surprised at what Steve Sloan is capable of," Mark proudly boasted. "I have faith in them."

"Do you have enough for all of us?" Chloe asked weakly.

"Yes."

**XXXXXXXX**

"The hospital is on alert," Melvin relayed to Nickel as he dialed Shane's cell number.

"Shane where have you been?" Melvin snapped impatiently.

"Well sir I broke my foot and…and what?" Shane asked in shock; looking at Amanda with a look of guilt and surprise. "What can I do?"

"We need a good shot like you at point; you better hurry."

"What's up?"

"Creed escaped and is on his way back to the hospital to take down Steve and Jade," Shane explained in a hurry as he stood up and quickly hobbled over to his jacket and walking cane.

"I'm driving," Amanda informed him, as she grabbed her jacket and followed him out the door.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Dad?" Steve lightly croaked; making Mark hurry to his side.

"Son you need to rest," Mark said quickly. "Both of you need…"

"I heard dad…heard he's coming here…" Steve whispered frantically.

"Steve you are in a secure room away from the area Creed thinks you are in," Mark tried to reason. "He can't hurt you."

"Just in case…I need my gun," Steve told his father.

"Steve you know I can't…"

"Dad…please…" Steve begged; looking over at a peaceful Jade, sleep. "For us…I just need to…just in case…"

Mark, reasoning that Creed would never be able to find them, brought Steve's jacket with gun holster and put it on the small table beside his bed. "But son you need to rest. Your body is still trying to heal from major surgery."

"I know dad," Steve smiled faintly. "Just in case."

Steve looked over at Jade and frowned. "I just got you back…he'll not take you away again."

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed headed for the exit to the hospital and knew they would have already been alerted to his escape and possible intended destination. But would they be waiting? He had to believe they would be waiting for him.

_"Shoot to kill…that's their orders…" he stammered in his revenge racked brain. "Shoot to kill…I know Washington…he'll shoot to kill…"_

He lightly tapped his head a few times, as if trying to shake into his mind a clear vision of how he would carry out his last will and testament. He was sure he'd lost his life tonight but as long as he fulfilled the vow to his mother; then he assured himself he could rest in peace.

He had to succeed.

**XXXXXXXX**

Amanda sped towards the hospital with Shane nervously fidgeting in the front passenger seat. "This has to end tonight," Shane whispered fatefully. "All of it."

"It will," Amanda whispered back.

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed zoomed onto the interstate and pressed forwards towards Community General. He was sure that Steve and Jade would be moved by now but he didn't seem to care. He had the general idea of where they might be and he would use everything in his strength to get there and fulfill his destiny.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Amanda stop us here!" Shane shouted as he rushed through the open ER doors. "Where…" was all he managed.

**XXXXXXXX**

Steve's eyes fluttered open once again. He had heard the two officers lightly talking outside his room; talking about Creed and the fact that he was on his way to the hospital with murderous intent. He felt his heart starting to fill with adrenaline as each minute ticked painfully by.

**XXXXXXXX**

Creed rounded the corner and narrowed his watery gaze at Community General as he sped towards it at full tilt. He closed his eyes and smashed through the front doors. His semi-automatic weapon starting to unload.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Don't worry Nick we'll get there in time," Melvin remarked with a twinge of doubt.

"We are already too late," Nickel cursed as he read the urgent note on his blackberry. "Oh…god help them all…"

**XXXXXXXX**

In the slow agonizing minutes that followed all that was heard was the pop of bullets, the sounds of screams, evil laughter, a child's cry, a father's curse, a future husband's plea and a bride to be's single tear drop hitting the floor.

Silence followed…death was close behind…fate had won and destiny was rewritten…

_"God help us all…for we have all failed…"_


	9. And the Future is Set

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 9 – And the Future is Set...**

Everything that happened next happened in horrible slow motion for all those involved. Time spared no expense nor did it speed up even one second. Everyone involved from the smallest screaming child with glass embedded in its pudgy leg to the seasoned doctor trying to draw the murderer away from his beloved family.

Shane turned around just as Creed charged the ER entrance…the doors just closing as Creed shot them open.

"SHANE!" Amanda shouted as she watched a stray bullet embed itself into Shane's upper chest and him falling to the ground. A nearby child started to scream as its mother snatched him out of the way and ducked behind a small table just as a few bullets dug themselves into the wall behind them. A glass partition behind them shattering; sending glass fragments in all directions.

Creed next eyed two waiting officers at the end of the hall and fired at them, taking one out in the leg and the other getting hit in the arm. They grabbed for their radio's frantically calling for backup to the waiting men outside. Creed didn't care about the reinforcements as his brain falsely told him that he was made of steel and that he would succeed.

He burst through the two double doors and spied Mark and Jesse turn and run down a small hallway and bolt the door behind them. Chloe was safely tucked away in another part of the hospital.

"Mark…" Jesse in fear.

"Pray Jesse…just pray," Mark hushed.

"Where are you!" Creed shouted in horror as he fired off a few more shots into the doors before him.

**XXXXXXXX**

"One more minute…" Melvin barked as he rounded the corner.

"We're out of time…" Nickel whispered in horror as he watched the aftermath of Creed's rampage. He got out of the car and rushed for the open doors.

"Chloe!"

**XXXXXXXX**

_Then_…something happened…as if an unseen force reached out and pointed Creed in the _right_ direction. Perhaps a force – forcing destiny on unwitting pawns?

Creed's head snapped in the opposite direction and his gaze narrowed as an officer quickly closed a door; thinking he wasn't spotted. But he was.

"STOP HIM!" Someone shouted as Creed raced towards Jade and Steve.

"NO!" Mark cursed as he heard Creed's bike speed away from him and Jesse; heading towards his son and future daughter in law.

Shane felt Amanda starting to help him up and as soon as he reached his feet, he momentarily forgot his broken foot and the gaping hole in his chest and pushed himself towards their attacker.

Creed burst through the first set of double doors and was met with a light spray of bullets in the back, ripping open his flesh and starting him on his rapid journey towards the end. He was pulled off his bike by searing pain but forced himself to keep going.

However, adrenaline was still coursing through his veins and he simply turned and shot the cop in the head and spat at him in anger. He turned back to the doors and pushed them open with a bloody hand. He spied Jade in her bed at the far end of the.

"YOU HAVE TO DIE!" Creed shouted as he quickly reloaded his gun and started to fire in her direction. The glass wall shattered which quickly ripped Jade from her drugged stupor to her morbid reality.

Creed raised his weapon and inched the trigger back…but then he stopped…paused momentarily by a soft voice.

"Don't…" Steve begged; as he slumped his ragged body against the wall behind him. "I beg you don't…"

Creed turned to Steve and sneered in hatred. "You…" he started in a ragged whisper, tears now blinding his eyes. "She loved you…my mother…she…"

"Creed…"

"She's dead!" Creed yelled in return. "I don't care what you want now!"

"Please don't…" Steve tried again.

Creed simply ignored him and turned back to Jade; reasoning that Steve, in the condition he was in was in no condition to fight him to save Jade. He took a step closer, failing to see Shane rushing up to the first set of double doors.

Jade's eyes opened and she slowly raised her watery eyes to see Creed looming closer, his weapon trained. She wished time would pass by faster, but it wasn't allowed; forcing them to play out their last tormented act.

"For my mother…" Creed whispered as he raised his gun to shoot Jade.

BANG!

Jade felt her body jerk involuntarily but it was not her life blood that started to flow. As a single tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the floor it mixed with the blood of Creed Richardson; blood spilt by her beloved fiancé as he used his own weapon to save her life.

Shane rushed through the door and as Creed's body jerked to fire again, he sent another shot – a death blow into the heart of their enemy; ending his murderous rampage once and for all. Creed fell to the earth cursing his father, his mother and his own sordid existence. He had failed in his quest for normalcy and he had failed to revenge a mother who wasn't worthy of revenge. His eyes closed and he was whisked to the dark oblivion of death – a fitting end to a fitful life. Ironically only in death did Creed Richardson find the peace he longed for in life. Peace he would never be able to enjoy.

"Steve!" Jade called out as his weary body started to slump to the floor. It was caught just in time by Mark and Jesse. "How come you are up?" Mark lightly scolded his son as he helped Steve back into bed beside Jade. "Where is the officer!"

"We weren't expecting them, remember?" Steve sighed in sarcasm. "It was a good plan dad…" Steve said watching the troupe of waiting officers hurry towards them from the hiding place they had originally placed themselves, hoping to draw Creed to them.

"Amanda," Shane lightly called as he tried to prop himself up off the cold floor. "Shane!" Amanda gasped as she knelt by his side. "Jesse help me!" Jesse rushed to Amanda's side and in no time had Shane up on a gurney and was wheeling him into the OR, prepped for surgery.

Nickel found Chloe and was by their daughter's side while Melvin and his team cleaned up the wounded and called for the Senior ME to take care of Creed's body. It was ordered immediately cremated.

"Steve…" Jade stammered as she wiped tears from her eyes. She grabbed his hand and held on tight. "I can't…" she started crying harder as she forced herself to look at Creed's still body.

"It's over…" Steve whispered as he held her trembling body closer. "You are safe now…we all are."

Jade listened to Steve's words but her brain failed to let them fully register. She longed for peace and love for so long but now it seemed even further away then it did when she started looking for it. She just let Steve hold her, lightly crying for what seemed like hours. It wasn't until she felt herself run out of energy to produce tears did she finally pass into the realm of sleep.

Steve felt Jade go limp in his arms and looked down to see her pass into a deep sleep; her mind and heart no doubt weary from all the events that just played out. Steve got into the bed beside her and let his father tend to him while he too let exhaustion start to take over. In a matter of minutes he too was fast asleep; his hand still warmly holding hers in his.

Mark stood over them and watched until he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned and offered a soft smile to Amanda. "We nearly lost everything this time," he sighed wearily.

"I know," she frowned. "Literally."

"And how are you after all this?"

"I think I'll be just fine," Amanda smiled knowingly. "I love Shane, Mark. And he's going to stay. I think I finally found someone I can trust with not only my future happiness but also my son's."

"I know he loves you Amanda. That much is evident. He's a good man," Mark smiled warmly. "I am happy for you."

And for the next few hours, two rested, one recovered and the rest sat around, thankful they were safe and their loved ones also.

Amanda sat and read softly to Shane while CJ slept in the hospital bed beside him; his small body pressed close against the man she hoped wanted to be his father.

Jade finally awoke a full 24 hours later and lightly squinted into the daylight coming into the window beside her bed. Her sleep had been fitful and restless; a sleep not intended to do any good to a body but harm the mind that was trying to heal. But Steve was there; always there to remind her that she was loved and that he was her future happiness.

"Hi sweetheart," her mother smiled. "Sleep well?"

"How long have I been out?"

"A full day, but Dr. Sloan said your body really needed it. Steve too," Chloe smiled. Jade looked over at Steve's empty bed and frowned. "He's getting some breakfast. Men…" she lightly laughed. Her laugh quickly turned to a frown and Jade was quick to note. "But he never left your side. Not even once."

"What?" Jade questioned.

"He's worried about you," her mother informed her.

"You mean about us not getting married now?"

"Jade you can't be…"

"Mom how long…how long can I keep doubting?" Jade started and then stopped. "I need to talk to Steve about this," she frowned. "I know he wants to get married but now I am not sure," Jade huffed.

"Okay if that's what you want then I'll respect that. But you be open and honest with him. Steve Sloan is a good man and deserves better than just you walking away into the sunset without a descent explanation."

"Okay," Jade half agreed. Jade was thankful the next few hours were and most of the next few days were spent with Steve and her parents; so there wasn't time for the deep discussion she knew would be coming. But her mother was right – she owed Steve a heartfelt discussion. Steve in the meantime had enlisted Amanda's help and she in turn had hired a team to get Steve's place back in tip top shape. She had Shane to look after and wasn't about to let him walk out of her and CJ's life that easily.

"I know what you won't tell me," Steve said when he and Jade finally had a spare moment.

"I have been trying to avoid this," she sighed wearily. "Every second I close my eyes I see him…Dean and Creed and then I see Carmen…laughing at me and knowing she won."

"But she didn't win," Steve urged gently.

Jade turned away from Steve's loving gaze and looked out the window into the dark of night. "I so want to believe that."

Silence engulfed them as Steve pulled Jade closed and rested his warm lips on her ear. "I'll help you believe it."

**XXXXXXXX**

A week later Chloe and Nickel returned back to New York with the promise to return a few weeks later for another much needed visit. Shane continued his recovery and with Amanda's help was present at his father's subsequent incarceration and condemnation to death. A chapter he was willing to help write and finally close for his own future happiness and peace of mind.

"With your help I now have closure," Shane smiled as he and Amanda slowly walked down the steps of the courthouse. "I can't thank you enough."

"Oh I'm sure I could think of something," Amanda teased. "Do you think Jade will be okay?"

"I know trouble has been brewing underneath her calm exterior these past few days. I'm glad they are both out of the hospital and back at home."

"They need a single home," Amanda suggested.

"And soon."

"We need a single home," Amanda smiled.

"And soon," Shane agreed, much to Amanda's delight as he pulled her close.

**XXXXXXXX**

Jade nervously paced her small living room; waiting for Steve to come over for dinner. It had been a few days since their release and each second was filled with terrifying thoughts of death; Steve's torture and beating and sad memories of Dean and Carmen's taunts. Her nights were sleepless and her days were restless.

"This has to end," she announced as she grabbed her jacket and headed out the door.

"Dad…I'm off to see Ja…" Steve called out but then stopped as he looked up and saw Jade standing in his doorway. "Hey…" he said softly as he took a step towards her.

"Please…please just stop…"

"Jade if you have come to call off…"

"Steve I can't do this…can't you see," Jade moaned angrily. "The days in the hospital were a blur and didn't give the days before that time to sink in. I have tried to go over and over in my head why I was so wrong about Dean and me and…and I have no answer."

"Jade you ask too much of yourself!" Steve reminded her. "You need…"

"Time? Yes I need time and…Steve I need to…"

"To what? Leave?"

"I need to work through this…alone. I need to sort out…things," she huffed as she turned away from him in sorrow. "I loved Dean and…Steve he betrayed me and…"

"Jade I have been open with you from the start," Steve started, gently taking her arm and turning her back to face him. "You want to run then you better find a good place to hide because I'll find you and force myself back into your heart."

Jade heard his kind words and smiled in spite of herself. "But I need time…I have to go…" she protested.

"But you won't," Steve interrupted her.

"How do you know?" She asked softly.

"Because you are here right now. Because I know you Jade Marshall Washington. If you want to do something you do. You left once remember? You gave me a letter and you did leave. I watched you get on that plane. But now you are here," he urged; pulling her close once again. "You want to believe in us and I will help you do that."

"I…Steve I want that to. But Dean…he lied to me…how can I have a happy future when I can't seem to let go of the past?"

"I know that. And I would never lie to you about anything. You know me…you know my friends and my family. We have never hid anything from you and we never will. I love you Jade and I'll never stop. But don't run…don't let them win. If you do run they win – don't you see that!"

"I know…" she tried in a sad tone.

"We are going to get married and remain in love until we both live to a very old age. I found you and I'm not about to let you just walk away. Your past is something that you can't just push away in a few days or even forget it happened. But if you close yourself off now you'll always be alone. I don't want you to be alone because then I'd be alone."

Jade finally let Steve's soft and wise words sink into her brain and make their way to her heart. He was right – if she left now all they fought to keep together would be gone and her enemies would have won. She loved Steve and she wanted to be a part of his life – forever.

"I am not going to walk away. That's why I came here…so you could talk me into staying."

"Stay with me Jade…stay forever," Steve whispered as he pulled her lips to his and kissed her tenderly. "Be my wife and remain in my heart."

"I do," she whispered happily.

Dinner came much later and a few hours after that Jade lay in Steve's strong arms under the cozy covers. Jade's mind still displayed tormented images but as she felt Steve's loving arms wrap around her in his sleep, her mind for the first time in days showed happy pictures of her and Steve when they first met.

"I'm getting married," she whispered happily as she closed her eyes and dreamed dreams about the kind of dress she would be wearing and what Steve would look like in a black tuxedo.

"Morning," Steve smiled the following day as he watched Jade slowly stir awake.

"Morning," Jade smiled in return. "We need to do this more often."

"I can arrange that," Steve replied. "How about tomorrow? And the day after that? And the…"

"I see," Jade answered with a light frown.

"Why the frown?"

"Oh man the wedding details…Steve they are driving me crazy," she lightly laughed.

Steve just laughed as he handed her a glass of fresh orange juice and smiled at her. For the first time in weeks, she displayed a genuine smile and he knew in his heart that she would be fine and life with her would be amazing. "We both agreed on a small wedding right?"

"Did my parents?" She laughed. "You'd think they were getting married…sigh…" Jade took a small sip and then looked at Steve with a wondering glance.

"I know that look," Steve teased. "It usually means that something mischievous is about to happen."

"Me?" Jade teased back.

"What's up?"

"Why can't we just have a small intimate wedding at a nice cozy ocean side restaurant or something?"

Steve sat down at the edge of the bed and looked at her thoughtfully. "I like that idea."

"Do you really?"

"Yes," Steve smiled as he took Jade's left hand and tenderly kissed the engagement ring on her slender finger. "If it makes you happy then it makes me happy."

"Let's do it then," Jade smiled as she lay back in the bed and pulled the sheet open to expose her naked body.

"Oh not fair," Steve smiled hungrily. "Not fair at all."

Breakfast would come much later. And after breakfast – wedding plans…that day would happen and it would happen soon!

**dear readers…a bit more to go…thanks for all the reviews so far and glad you are liking the story**


	10. A New Start Together

**Title: For Better or Worse…  
****Chapter 10 – A New Start Together  
**_Words and Lyrics to 'When you come back to me' Belong to Garth Brooks_

The next few weeks were zooming by with lighting speed. Jade and Steve really focused on the wedding details and although they were going to have a small, intimate affair there were a lot of little things that needed to be handled just right. Jade never imagined her life would turn out the way she wanted…she had doubted for so long but it was finally coming true. She was happy for Shane who was drawing closer to Amanda and CJ every day. She never fancied her partner a man with a child and now couldn't imagine him any other way.

Finally everything was done; the last RSVP card was received, the food, drinks and wedding goodies confirmed, the dresses and tuxes picked up and delivered to their appropriate places and other things that just seemed to pop up.

The night before the wedding arrived and soon four friends were sitting around the living room in the early evening thinking about the hours that lay ahead.

"Alright time to leave…" Shane announced as he stood up and headed for the door; Amanda in tow.

"Behave tonight…" Jade smiled to Steve as she kissed him goodnight.

"Hey you are the one going out on the town. How much fun do you think it will be with my dad around?" Steve teased.

"I heard that…" Mark frowned as he stood in the living room with Shane and Jesse.

"See you tomorrow my love," Steve whispered as he kissed Jade once more and then slowly followed after the guys into the night.

Jade watched them leave and then slowly closed the door. As she grabbed her jacket and followed Amanda outside for her own bachelorette party her mind was glued to Steve. She found herself loving him more and more and her trust growing every day. He had forced her into his world of happiness and love and she found herself wanting more and more. This past week had showed another side of him and she just couldn't' wait to learn even more about the man who would soon be her husband.

Steve, too, on the other side of town, tried to laugh mildly at Shane's crazy stories but found his mind wondering what Jade was doing and what kinds of goodies she was getting at her private party. Stuff he hoped she'd share with him. He was amazed by her the past few weeks; he had learned parts of her personality he didn't even know existed. Tomorrow she'd be his wife; tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

"I still can't believe I am getting married tomorrow," Jade smiled as her and Amanda just sat on her couch a few hours later; after Chloe and the other girls had long since retired. "I'm too wired even to sleep."

"I can't believe Steve finally found a girl to match him," Amanda said happily.

"Yeah that's what Mark said," Jade laughed back. "Thanks for agreeing to be my…"

"Jade we are friends," Amanda smiled warmly. "Of course…and I want you do to the same…"

"I of…WHAT?" Jade half yelled. "You mean Shane proposed?"

"No…not yet…but we have talked about it," Amanda smiled. "I mean any guy that can handle CJ is alright by me."

"I'll drink to that," Jade smiled as she downed a swig of her drink's contents. "Getting transferred here was truly a stroke of fate…good fate and I don't even believe in it!"

"If you…well if you hadn't been on that case…"

"I guess I would have just…just went on…existing…" she mentioned in a glum tone. But her mood quickly changed as her eyes drifted back to the cream dress hanging from the door frame. "I can't believe it…" she whispered happily. "I'm getting married tomorrow."

"Come on…one more toast," Amanda shouted in glee. Jade joined in and it wasn't until almost daylight when they both fell asleep on the couch; Jade dreaming of the next few hours that lay ahead of her.

Steve, himself, didn't arrive home until late and loved the small talk about Shane and Jade and what it was like to hear stuff about Jade from another point of view. Every little thing he learned just endured her to him even more. He knew it was only the start of many great things to come. And as he too closed his eyes to his mind was fixed on the exciting event that was only hours ahead.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Oh my little girl," Chloe smiled as she finished helping Jade apply the fresh white orchids to her hair.

"I can't believe it either," Jade smiled. "I just can't wait to be Steve's wife. Was it like that for you?"

"Oh more than you know," Chloe replied happily.

The next two hours passed by so fast and soon it was time for Steve to head up to the front of the ceremony hall to stand beside Jesse.

"Smile son," Mark reminded Steve in a warm tone.

"Thanks dad," Steve remarked in a dry tone.

A few more minutes ticked slowly by for Steve as he nervously watched a few more guests trickle into their seats. "Are brides always this late?" Steve asked simply.

"Yes," Mark piped up. "But trust me it's worth the wait."

Finally, after what seemed like a small eternity the music started to play softly and Steve felt his heart starting to pick up the pace. Milt walked Chloe down the aisle and winked at Steve before taking his place in the front row.

The flower girl started to grace the isle and finally Amanda started to appear.

Steve looked up and stifled a small gasp as he looked at Jade in her cream dress. "Wow," he whispered as he locked eyes with her and smiled. He watched her and her father arm in arm heading for him and felt his heart starting to race faster.

Shane watched Amanda slowly walking in front of Jade and felt his own heart start to beat faster. He wanted to marry her, he was sure of that. He just had to be sure it was what she wanted. He was sure he'd find out sooner rather than later.

"I love you dad," Jade whispered to her father as she hugged him and went and stood beside Steve.

"Jade…" Steve whispered as they stood before the minister. "You look…beautiful…"

"Thanks," Jade whispered back.

They both stood in a semi-dazed state, half listening to the words half listening to their own hearts beating rapidly. The exchange of the rings showed them how nervous they really were. Jade extended a slightly shaking hand to Steve and Steve put forth a lightly trembling one. The vows came and went and soon it was time to kiss. Steve gently put his arm around her waist while she put a gloved hand around his neck and they kissed. It wasn't long but the passion that passed from one to the other made it seem like a small eternity. Finally it was off to a small solarium for pictures. After pictures were over Jade looked at Steve and knew something was up.

Steve took Jade by the hand and led her to a small secluded terrace. "Something wrong?" Jade asked quickly as he turned to face her.

"Jade I just had to say…" he started with a frown. "I mean I have seen you looking beautiful before but…" he said making her really blush. "You look amazing…"

"You look pretty good yourself," she smiled back.

"My wife…" Steve gushed as he pulled her close.

"Nice try…" Jade smiled as felt Steve's hand starting to travel up to the top button of her dress and starting to undo it. "I am wearing this dress a bit longer. You'll just have to wait…" she said pulling back.

"Oh not fair…" Steve moaned happily.

"Believe it…" Jade smiled and then turned away.

"What is it?"

"I just never thought this day possible for me," she said looking out the window. "Even today I didn't even believe it. But when the music started…and I started to walk down the isle…" Jade said turning to him. "Steve I felt my world stop and then start again and I realized that my dream has finally come true. I love you Steve Sloan. Always."

"Jade when I was driving over it too seemed very surreal for me…but when I looked up and saw your face at the end of the isle…waiting…I realized that dreams do come true. I love you Jade Washington Sloan," he said kissing her back. "Always."

They took a few more pictures and then off to the restaurant for the rest of the wedding events.

"Okay you can both breathe easy now," Jesse said as the MC when they were seated for supper. Steve and Jade listened to Jesse's light jokes and then chatted casually during the wonderful dinner the romantic restaurant put on. Amanda, Shane and Cami joined Jesse at the head table while Mark sat with Nick, Chloe, Milt and a few other close family members. Jade looked around the room and smiled warmly at all the people laughing and having a good time.

"Happy?" Steve wondered.

"I just can't believe it all happened with…"

"Without a hitch?" Steve lightly laughed.

"Yes frankly," Jade shot back. "This is just perfect," she whispered happily. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," Steve replied; taking her hand, now bare, and kissing it. "Can I also thank you later?" He winked.

Jade lightly tapped his shoulder and started to blush.

After the dinner it was time for a few speeches and the dance. Amanda said a small speech before giving way to tears; and Jesse had people laughing and Steve groaning. Mark said a few words to welcome his new daughter and thanked Nick and Chloe for a wonderful night. Nickel spoke for him and Chloe; as his wife was too overcome with happy tears to offer anything but I love you Steve and Jade.

Just as the music was about to start, Shane surprised everyone by grabbing the mic and tapping it lightly. "Okay so I know I was only second best," Shane winked at Jesse. "But I have a few two cents I'd like to add for my best friends wedding."

Jade stared at Shane in surprise and then back to Steve who looked confused and Jesse just offered a smile and a wink. Amanda also looked on in surprise. "Did you know about this?" Amanda hissed at Jesse; who just played dumb.

"I am not really good at this kinda thing, but I knew if I didn't offer a few words I'd probably be fired," Shane looked at Milt and lightly laughed. "Steve you have gotten one in a million and Jade you found someone who can duck as well as you," he paused, eliciting a few laughs from the audience. "I heard this song and immediately thought of the two of you. Kinda sappy…just don't tell my girlfriend," he winked at Amanda. "You have both faced so much in your lives and yet to be able to come together and love one another is the living proof that dreams do come true. Although it took a lot of hard work and perseverance you have both shown that with hard work comes fulfillment. You both weathered life's rocky storms and were the lighthouse in the dark guiding each other back to safety. And I know at times you both probably wanted to just walk away and call it quits but didn't, demonstrates that whatever tests you'll face in the future you'll face them together and be stronger for it. This song I dedicate to my best friend and the man who has made her life complete. Steve, Jade this is for you," Shane said warmly.

Shane walked back to Amanda and sat down beside her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it warmly. "You still surprise me," Amanda whispered happily.

"Glad to hear it…" Shane whispered back. "Could be more coming…"

Steve took Jade by the hand and led them to the small dance floor. They both heard Shane's warm words and waited in anticipation for the song to start. When it did and the lyrics played then their minds were filled with memories from when they first started to draw together until today were now one and knew everything Shane had stated had been heartfelt and the truth. Steve held Jade firmly against him as the music started to sway.

_There's a ship out  
On the ocean  
At the mercy of the sea  
It's been tossed about  
Lost and broken  
Wandering aimlessly  
And God somehow  
You know that ship is me  
'Cause there's a lighthouse  
In the harbour  
Shining Faithfully  
Pouring its light out  
Across the water  
For this sinking soul to see  
That someone out there  
Still believes in me_

"You know there was a time I believed that none of this would happen. I honestly thought that this kind of happiness wasn't meant for someone like me," Jade said softly.

"I had just as many doubts Jade," Steve said softly. "Maybe more."

"I mean all the things I have gone through and…well I wouldn't have survived if you weren't there to help me through, guiding me to the other side. The right side. By you," she said warmly. "And if not for your courage and love I never would have thought a second chance possible for me," Jade smiled.

"Or a first chance for me," Steve said firmly.

_On a prayer, in a song  
I hear your voice and  
It keeps me hanging on  
Raining down  
Against the wind  
I'm reaching out till  
We reach the circle's end  
When you come  
Back to me again_

_There's a moment  
We all come to  
In our own time and  
Our own space  
Where all that we've done  
We can undo  
If our heart's  
In the right place_

"I keep thinking back to the time I first left home," Jade said softly. "I told myself then that I would be alone forever and that the mistakes I with others made would haunt me the rest of my life."

"We all make mistakes Jade. I have too," Steve replied. "We both have and both will yet. But as long as we can work through them together then we will be able to make it. We won't fail, we can't."

"I honestly thought this day was just a dream for me."

"It is a dream Steve," Jade smiled. "And it just came true. For both of us."

_On a prayer, in a song  
I hear your voice and  
It keeps me hanging on  
Raining down  
Against the wind  
I'm reaching out till  
We reach the circle's end  
When you come  
Back to me again  
And again I see  
My yesterday's in front of me  
Unfolding like a mystery  
You're changing all that is  
And used to be_

_On a prayer, in a song  
I hear your voice and  
It keeps me hanging on  
Raining down  
Against the wind  
I'm reaching out till  
We reach the circle's end  
When you come  
Back to me again_

_When you come  
Back to me again_

"I love you Steve," Jade whispered as she tenderly kissed his lips as Steve held her around the waist, close to him. "No matter what you never gave up on me. Your love and your strength made this day possible."

"I love you too Jade," Steve said kissing her back. Jade felt his strong arm around her waist and smiled as the song continued to play. "And I never will give up on you because I know you'd do the same for me. Your love and your courage made this day possible," Steve whispered.

"No matter what happens Jade I promise you now we'll get through it together."

"No more going it alone," she whispered back.

"No more being alone," he whispered to her.

"Together," they both said at the same time. "Now and forever."

_**Today I married my best friend, my love, my life**_

_Dear readers….so the ending was kinda sappy but I wanted just a happy mushy ending….hope you liked it and would like more stories in the future. Thanks again for the review and your time!!_


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